St. George, Utah Guides

Escalante & Grand Staircase: Utah's Wild Backcountry — Escalante and the Grand Staircase: vast, remote slot-canyon country three and a half hours away — take a night, and check the roads.
Kanab: Slot Canyons and 'Little Hollywood' — Kanab from St. George: about ninety minutes to Little Hollywood, and the gateway to dunes, slot canyons and permit-only country.
Lake Powell & Page: Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon — Lake Powell and Page from St. George: slot canyons, Horseshoe Bend and a vast reservoir — more than a day really holds.
Valley of Fire: A Nevada Day Trip from St. George — Valley of Fire from St. George: Nevada's oldest state park, an hour and a half away — and a winter trip rather than a summer one.
Zion's East Side: The Tunnel, Slickrock, and Fewer Crowds — Zion's east side: slickrock, Checkerboard Mesa and almost no crowds — the part of the park most visitors drive straight through.
The Subway: Zion's Iconic Canyoneering Hike — A permit-only route through the Left Fork of North Creek — two versions, neither of them a hike in the ordinary sense.
Toquerville Falls: A Desert Oasis Off-Road — Toquerville Falls: desert waterfalls at the end of a rough road — the vehicle is the hard part, not the walk.
Grafton Ghost Town Near Zion — Grafton: the most photographed ghost town in the West, abandoned because the river kept winning.
Where to Stay Near Zion: Inside the Park, Springdale, the Corridor or St. George — Four bases along one highway, what each actually buys you, and the order things book in — from the lodge six months out to campgrounds that open two weeks before you arrive.
Zion With Kids: Easy Hikes and Family Tips — Zion with kids: which trails actually work for small children, and how to run the day so the heat does not ruin it.
Zion in Winter: The Underrated Season — Zion in winter: a fraction of the crowds, private cars often allowed up the canyon, and ice as the thing to plan around.
How the Zion Shuttle Works (and How to Visit Car-Free) — How the Zion shuttle actually works: when it runs, where to park, and which parts of the park do not need it at all.
The Pa'rus Trail: Zion's Paved, Pet-Friendly Path — The only trail in Zion that allows dogs and bicycles — 3.5 miles, paved, level, and the park's most accessible walk.
The Watchman Trail in Zion — The one real Zion hike you can walk to from the visitor center without boarding a shuttle — 3.3 miles, no permit, and the best evening light in the park.
Canyon Overlook: Zion's Best Short Hike — Half a mile each way and 154 feet of climbing for the classic view down Zion Canyon — no shuttle, no permit, and parking as the only real obstacle.
Zion's Emerald Pools Trail — Three pools on one route, so you pick your effort at the trailhead — plus why the water is green, why you cannot swim, and when the falls actually run.
Cedar Breaks National Monument: A Day Trip from St. George — Cedar Breaks: a 10,000-foot amphitheatre of red rock 90 minutes from St. George — cooler, quieter and seasonal.
Grand Canyon North Rim: A Day Trip from St. George — The Grand Canyon North Rim from St. George: two and a half hours, far quieter than the South Rim — and closed all winter.
Bryce Canyon: A Day Trip from St. George — Bryce Canyon from St. George: three and a half hours to the hoodoos, why sunrise is the point, and why a night makes it better.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park — Coral Pink Sand Dunes: a genuine dune field of pink sand, split between an OHV area and a protected conservation zone.
Kanarraville Falls: A Slot-Canyon Creek Hike — Kanarraville Falls: a slot canyon with ladders and waterfalls — and a permit you must buy in advance, with numbers capped daily.
Pine Valley: The Cool Mountain Escape — Pine Valley: pine forest, cool air and a reservoir an hour above St. George — the escape when the desert is unbearable.
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area — Red Cliffs: a conservation area on St. George's doorstep that exists to protect the Mojave desert tortoise — and what that means for visitors.
Quail Creek State Park — Quail Creek State Park: the smaller, calmer reservoir east of St. George — warm water, good fishing and fewer crowds than Sand Hollow.
Gunlock State Park and the Gunlock Falls — Gunlock Falls: spectacular when it runs, and most years it does not. How the reservoir spill works and when to check.