The Best Hikes Around St. George (Beyond Snow Canyon)
Hikes beyond Snow Canyon: where to go once you have done the obvious, from slickrock domes to slot canyons and waterfalls.
Once you have walked Snow Canyon and done the headline trails in Zion, the region opens up considerably — and the next tier is quieter than either.
Close to town
Red Cliffs is the obvious next step: an extensive network across red rock and desert, minutes from the city, and comparatively empty because Zion takes the visitors. The recreation area has short family-friendly routes including a small waterfall and slot section.
Pioneer Park is scrambling rather than hiking, and it is inside the city.
Anasazi Valley pairs a short climb with one of the region's best rock art panels.
The slickrock mesas
Gooseberry Mesa and Little Creek Mesa, east toward Hurricane, are famous among mountain bikers and excellent on foot — expanses of domed slickrock with long views and very few people. Access involves dirt roads; check conditions.
Yant Flat, sometimes called Candy Cliffs, is banded and swirled sandstone reached by a rough road. Spectacular, and increasingly popular, so go early.
Both demand real navigation care: slickrock has no obvious path, cairns are unreliable, and one dome looks like another. See desert hiking safety.
Water in a desert
Kanarraville Falls — a slot canyon with ladders and waterfalls, requiring a permit bought in advance with numbers capped daily.
Water Canyon, near Hildale, climbs from a narrow canyon onto slickrock above, and is one of the better-value walks in the wider region.
Toquerville Falls — minimal walking, but the rough road is the barrier.
Up high, when the desert is unbearable
Pine Valley offers forest trails into the wilderness at several thousand feet above the valley — the sensible summer answer.
Kolob Canyons sits higher than Zion's main canyon, is cooler, and has serious backcountry routes.
How to choose
By season. Desert low country from autumn through spring; elevation in summer.
By tolerance for dirt roads. Several of the best options here are gated by the drive rather than the walk.
By navigation confidence. Slickrock is superb walking and genuinely easy to get lost on.
What to carry that you would not elsewhere
The hikes above are mostly unshaded, unsigned and further from help than their distances suggest.
- More water than the mileage implies, and something salty for a long hot day.
- Real navigation. A downloaded offline map, and the habit of checking your line back on slickrock rather than trusting cairns.
- Sturdy soles. Slickrock grips well and lava shreds trainers.
- A torch, even for a day walk. Route-finding is slow, and finishing in the dark is how a good day becomes an incident.
A rough order to work through them
If you are building up rather than picking one, this is a sensible progression: Red Cliffs first, for network and proximity; then Water Canyon or Kanarraville for canyon walking with a permit or a drive attached; then Gooseberry or Little Creek once you are comfortable navigating slickrock; and Yant Flat when you have a vehicle that can reach it.
Save the high country — Pine Valley and Kolob — for when the desert is too hot to enjoy, which is roughly June to September.
Frequently asked questions
What are good hikes near St. George besides Snow Canyon?
Red Cliffs Recreation Area (the Red Reef trail with pools), Scout Cave, Dino Cliffs, and Yant Flat (Candy Cliffs) west of town. For a cool-off, the Pine Valley Mountains sit thousands of feet higher.
Is there a waterfall hike near St. George?
Kanarra Falls, about 45 minutes north, is a stream and slot-canyon hike with waterfalls. It requires a paid permit, limited daily, so buy online in advance.