By Dave Webb
November 25, 2020
We recently visited the St. George area and had a great time. The weather was perfect. Days were sunny with high temperatures in the mid 50s F. Just right for hiking, biking and exploring.
We love the St. George area. It is our go-to spot for winter hiking and we look forward to more adventure there in the coming weeks. There are dozens of great hikes and almost as many fun biking trails. We also enjoy exploring the backcountry by vehicle. There are great options for all kinds of vehicles, from family car to serious 4X4 to rugged side-by-side UTVs.
Weather Considerations
St. George is famous for its sunshine and mild winter weather. Temperatures climb into the mid 50s on many days in December and January, and spring starts in February. Most winter days are dry but storms occasionally rumble through. The key to a successful winter trip is to stay flexible. If it is warm and dry, great, get outdoors and have fun. If the weather is stormy just be patient and adjust your schedule. Storms usually don’t last long here and the scenery is magnificent when clouds bump into Pine Valley Mountain and rain or snowfall causes the desert to sparkle.
Temperatures drop below freezing on winter nights. Travelers should always check forecasts, use caution and carry emergency gear.
Amazing Adventure
Book a helicopter tour to really get an overview of this amazing area. Winter is perhaps the best time for these tours because it lets you see the contract between red rock, sand, snow and greet forest. We love Zion Helicopters (https://zionhelicopters.com/).
Little-Known Playground
This trip we choose to explore the Sand Cove area, in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. It offers great red rock and sand dunes to play on. A fun trail runs from Sand Cove to Babylon Arch. Few people know about the spot. While Snow Canyon and other popular spots were crawling with people, we explored Sand Cove in relative solitude.
The access road is rough and often has deep sand, which is one of the reasons more people don’t go there. Most all-wheel-drive vehicles can make it to the designated parking area and then make the short hike into the cove. If you have a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle you can drive right into Sand Cove.
Favorite Hikes
Alltrails.com gives a good rundown of most area trails, with ratings. Below we mention some of our favorites.
Snow Canyon – This is one of America’s great winter hiking spots. There are many trails and all are enjoyable. The park is popular during fall, winter and spring, but don’t let that scare you away. Trail options range from easy to strenuous. If you want an adventure, try exploring the Lava Tubes.
The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area also offers good hiking options.
St. George Pioneer Park includes much of the red rock area on the north edge of town, around the “Dixie” rock. It is a great spot where kids can climb on the rocks and scramble around. It is not really hiking, most just rambling around, but it is fun and very scenic.
The Gila Trail off Hwy. 18 just north of town offers easy hiking with great views.
Many other trails deserve mention but we don’t have room. Get out and explore.
Where To Stay & Eat
St George is a popular travel destination and it offers plenty of nice hotel rooms. (Rooms may sell out during major events.) It is always best to make reservations well ahead of time. There are also great lodging and dining options in Springdale, at the entrance to Zion Park.
Inn On The Cliff in St. George is our favorite place, both to stay and to eat. It is excellent.
We also love the Hyatt Place/St. George Convention Center. In Springdale, we love Desert Pearl Inn.
There are excellent B&Bs in both towns.
What About Camping?
We often camp when we visit the St. George area – we tent camp year-round because we enjoy it and also because it allows us to stay close to the areas where we want to play. Nights do get cold and so it is important to have good gear. If you have a good four-season tent, an insulated sleeping pad and a warm sleeping bag you can camp in comfort.
There are excellent campgrounds at the three state parks in the area (Sand Hallow, Quail Lake and Gunlock). There are also many great commercial RV parks and campgrounds. We often choose to camp in undeveloped spots on BLM ground.
The Beaver Dam area west of St. George is actually the warmest spot in Utah because it has the lowest elevation. We love camping in the Joshua trees in Utah north of the town of Beaver Dam, AZ. On winter trips we enjoy rock hounding and exploring in that area where the Mojave Desert extends into Utah.
Getting There
We are based in northern Utah and so we usually drive. St. George has a nice regional airport with connecting flights to/from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, so flying is a viable option.
St. George is a gateway to Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks and it draws people from around the world. Many fly into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and rent cars to tour the parks. There are also many group tours.
