Level 2 - Hiking Adventures
Snow Canyon/West Canyon Overlooks (easy hikes)
Red Mountain Trail Map (to Overlooks only) You can drive right up to the overlooks.The main parking area is a 0.25 mile walk to the edge, and you get an awesome view of the canyons from above.This is within the Snow Canyon State Park fee area but directly accessed from Hwy 18.1.8 mile hike to Red Mountain / Snow Canyon Overlook Trail junction Snow Canyon Overlook via Snow Canyon Overlook Trail is 0.5 miles further (2.3 miles total one-way)West Canyon Overlook via Red Mountain Trail from junction is 0.7 miles further (2.5 miles total one-way)Overlooks are 4.6/5.0 miles round-trip -- Incredible views - Moderate/Difficult hike Other notes:No trail signs exist after the Snow Canyon Overlook trail junction sign (which is frequently down or missing).Be Prepared - GPS - Map -Water - Food - Proper clothing for the season.GPS Waypoints37.278390, -113.653854 Red Mountain Trail Parking Area 37.258725, -113.666663 Red Mountain / Snow Canyon Overlook Trail junction 37.252737, -113.666146 Snow Canyon Overlook 37.256664, -113.674581 West Canyon Overlook
Hiking
St. George Region has miles of great hiking trails.
Chuckwalla Trailhead Parking on Hwy 18 is one of the closest trailheads.
You can also walk straight up Halfway Wash Trail from Silver Creek and continue straight into Chuckwalla without crossing a street (non-grade crossing underpasses).These trails are inside Snow Canyon State Park. (see below)Temple Quarry Trailhead (2.2 miles round-trip)
Beginner/Intermediate at endTemple Quarry TrailRed Cliffs Desert Reserve (RCDR)
A vast area covering much of the region north of St. George area cities, including the whole of Snow Canyon. 96 different trails across an area stretching from Ivins to Hurricane.Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Brochure Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Map
Here are two more close parking/trailhead locations in RCDR.
Pioneer Rim Parking Area (RCDR) Pioneer Park Parking Area (also Dixie Rock) 475 Skyline Dr, St. George, UT 84770 Pioneer Park has a number of trails, views, and the St. George Narrows Slot Canyon (½ mile).Not really a canyon, but a large rock fissure you can hike easily into.Red Cliffs Recreation Area - Red Reef Waterfall - Water Canyon
Red Cliffs Campground/Water Canyon Parking Area (19 miles)A sweet broad slot canyon with a waterfall (in season)Red Cliffs Desert Reserve - Babylon Hiking Area
Babylon Road (24 miles) RCDR Babylon Area map Accessed from Leeds via unpaved road that goes all the way to a popular beach on the Virgin River. Babylon Road is not suitable for 2WD or low clearance vehicles.A former mining area and huge jumble of mixed-up terrains from the Colorado Plateau, Mohave Desert and Great Basin geologic provinces caused by the Hurricane Fault. 7 trailheads and 13 trails(NOTE!! - Snow Canyon State Park is a Fee area) Considering a Utah State Parks Pass ($165/year), especially if you qualify for the Senior version ($65/year - age 65+). 7 guests in same vehicle or 3 walking/bicycling guests.See National & State Parks page for more Pass details. Snow Canyon Trails brochure (2023)-- Easy Trails --
Berm trail (2.0 miles round-trip) Jenny's Canyon trail (0.5 mile round-trip) Pioneer Names trail (0.5 mile round-trip) Sand Dunes Picnic Area (0.5 mile round-trip) Toe trail (2.2 miles round-trip) Tortoise Walk (0.3 mile round-trip) Whiptail trail (6.0 miles round-trip) West Canyon Road trail (8.0 miles round-trip)-- Moderate Trails --
Butterfly trail (2.0 miles round-trip) Hidden Pinyon trail (1.5 mile round-trip) Lava Flow trail (1.5 mile round-trip) Petrified Dunes trail (1.2 miles round-trip) Johnson Canyon (RCDR) (2.0 miles round-trip) Johnson Canyon (SCSP)via Johnson Canyon Trailhead (Ivins) - parking areaJohnson Canyon was previously accessed from a parking area just outside Snow Canyon.That parking area in now inside the park, just after the fee kiosk.Scout Cave trail (6.0 miles round-trip) Whiterocks trail (4.0 miles round-trip)-- Difficult Trails --
Cinder Cone trail (1.5 miles round-trip) Gila trail (9.5 miles one-way) Padre Canyon trail (6.0 miles round-trip) Red Sands trail (3.5 mile round-trip)-- Accessed from outside parking/fee area --
Johnson Canyon (RCDR) (2.0 miles round-trip) - Moderate Johnson Canyon (SCSP)via Johnson Canyon Trailhead (Ivins) - parking area-- Paradise Canyon section trails --
Chuckwalla Area Trails Paradise Canyon area (RCDR) via Chuckwalla Trailhead parking area Beck Hill trail (3.0 miles) - Moderate Chuckwalla trail (2.0 miles round-trip) - Moderate Paradise Rim trail (2.5 miles round-trip) - Moderate Turtle Wall trail (2.0 miles round-trip) - Moderate-- Red Mountain Trail (Dammeron Valley to Ivins) --
Red Mountain Trail Red Mountain Trail Map (entire trail)Red Mountain Trailhead, Dammeron Valley (14 miles to Trailhead)Red Mountain Trail goes into the Red Mountain Wilderness to IvinsFor serious hikers only, well prepared. and ready for anything nature throws at you. Heat in the summer and cold in the winter are combined with a trail exposed to the wind and elements. Trail is poorly marked, and it might *only* be 9.5 miles but it is not for the unprepared.
Friends of Snow Canyon Friends of Snow Canyon - Geology Group Hike - guide (A breakdown of various areas of the park's geologic origins.)
Easy Dinosaur Tracks Hike
Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracks 1.1 mile off Warner Valley Rd. (unpaved road 7.7 miles) 20.5 miles to parking Hundreds of fossilized dinosaur tracks about ¼ mile from parking area.Many (or all) of the Mountain Bike trails listed in L3 Mountain Biking page are also Hiking Trails.
Easy Petroglyph Hike/Bike
There are many petroglyph sites from Anasazi time periods scattered throughout this region. One that is both nearby and easy to reach is: Anasazi Ridge Trail (Tempi'po'op Trail) - Ivins (3.9 miles round-trip)Parking area by car via Old Hwy 91 (6.5 miles)Hiking, Mountain Bikes, and equestrian. There is an excellent view of Red Mountain, Ivins, Santa Clara and Dixie Downs.A well-marked trail in Ivins - 1st part is easy graded gravel - 2nd part is moderately rocky single-track that runs along a cliff edge for about ¼~½ mile (not unsafely but walking the bike may be advisable if you are nervous).It is possible to ride a bike from Silver Creek right up to the top. Anasazi Ridge Trail by bicycle via Santa Clara Lava Flow Trail (7.5 miles) This is a 20 mile / 2.5 hours round-trip from Silver Creek via Lava Flow Trail to the top and back of the Anasazi Ridge Trail, plus whatever time you spend looking at the petroglyphs.Only the intermediate section, (the very last part of the ridge trail) is at all challenging.You can also park/lock bikes at the Trailhead parking, where there is water, toilets, & a bike repair stand. A perfect e-bike/scooter adventure. The Level 2 Adventures page has a more challenging petroglyphs hike to a slot 'canyon' location within Snow Canyon using the Gila Trail.
More Petroglyphs - Worthwhile, but not casual hike
Snow Canyon Petroglyphs
Close, but challenging to find. Not so much a hike, as an overland diversity and rock-scrambleThe officially sanctioned access is currently from either:Chuckwalla Trailhead Parking (2.6 miles) via Gila Trail northbound—or— Snow Canyon Scenic Overlook Parking (7.8 miles) via Gila Trail southbound —possible "Trailhead" Parking—This is the generally used access point: West side of Hwy 18 at milepost #?? (37.176865341479484, -113.61910475952378)
Snow Canyon State Park and the City of St. George are working on a new right-of-way passage.Specific location and status are currently unknown. It is believed that this is the reason Hwy-18 has this very wide shoulder/apron for parking that bluntly ends at the 'right' place.
GPS Points on the 'path' (Keep in mind there is some drift and inaccuracies in cell-phone GPS coordinates):37.184841,-113.623392 4400 N Trailhead (CLOSED - don't use) 37.181239, -113.623779 4200 N Trailhead (CLOSED - don't use)
37.17665945507241, -113.6191206717706 Hwy 18 - probably the new 'official' route parking area 37.17638123187294, -113.62398322158077 4400 N crossing/reorientation point 37.17612811731541, -113.62667869032848 Fence line and gates immediately before reaching the Gila Trail 37.176941, -113.626873 Start of Gila Trail north-west traverse with small switchback section37.17882217951839, -113.62928636841478 Gila Trail marker restarting 'northerly' trail37.18012443792554, -113.62904502119892 1st trail marker showing petroglyphs symbol (getting close!)37.181336030412254, -113.62808187405848 4th trail marker showing petroglyphs symbol (very close!)37.182303378112124, -113.62810070680425 Last trail marker at entrance to slot canyon (turn around and look slightly right)37.18213669502639, -113.62819994852887 Slot Canyon Twisted Tree and Petroglyphs
Still want more - known locations, but unverified coordinates - only continue if you have lots of time and are willing to look a bit.37.184028, -113.627306 Small Slot Petroglyphs 37.185374, -113.626847 Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs 37.186548, -113.630634 Sinking Ship Rock Petroglyphs
Trail notes: Parking to Gila Trail and northward After leaving the Parking area, you almost immediately pass over the SR-18 multi-use paved north-south trail. Head directly west as best as you can. Don't stray far from due west, but don't worry, you will have a chance to correct when you get to 4400 N. This is totally overland with many twisting 'paths', but no official trail. Much of it is deeper sand that is sometimes challenging. Keep heading west and you will eventually reach 4400 N, a north-south unimproved road. Reorient yourself north or south along the road if needed, to approximately 37.17638123187294, -113.62398322158077 and continue directly west.If you have gone straight west from the last coordinates, you will encounter a fence with two gates at about 37.17612843111,-113.62667557407934.Continue directly west and less than 50' later you will encounter a north-south singletrack trail. This is the Gila Trail. Turn right and head north-ish. You will stay on Gila Trail all the way to the Slot Canyon.Gila Trail is pretty well marked and as of January 2025, has markers every few hundred feet or less. Stay on Gila Trail and don't bushwack. There isn't a 'better' route.There are some slickrock sections, but they are still pretty well marked with cairn pedestal trail signs. At first there is a short northward section, then a small slickrock section west-northwest, then primarily northbound with small slickrock sections. 37.18012443792554, -113.62904502119892 is the 1st trail marker showing a petroglyphs symbol.
Last marker on the Trail before Petroglyph Canyon: 37.182273460662365, -113.62809534238663The Petroglyph Slot Canyon (and twisted tree): 37.18212925278649, -113.62819746530626
Do's Watch for trail markers for Gila Trail - they are currently (usually) visible from at or near the last one. Have a GPS and map and a printed satellite view of the terrain.
Dont'sDon't run across Hwy 18 — park on the west side entering from the southbound lanes. Don't park on 4400 N or on 4200 N near the houses, or you will be ticketed or towed. Don't touch the petroglyphs! The oils from your fingers damage the petroglyphs.Your cell-phone camera may show details your eye doesn't catch immediately. Leave at least 1 hour before expected sunset. In Winter, you should be leaving the petroglyphs at 4:30pm at the very latest Return hike takes ~40 minutes to get back to parking area, *if* you are hurrying and *if* you don't get lost. Allow more time if you are a slow hiker, and much more if you went onward to Sinking Ship Rock.