Pine Valley: The Cool Mountain Escape
When the desert hits 105°F, locals drive 45 minutes up to Pine Valley — an alpine forest 20–30 degrees cooler, with fishing, hiking, and camping.
Pine Valley: The Cool Mountain Escape
When St. George is pushing 105°F, locals drive about 45 minutes north and up to Pine Valley — an alpine pocket of the Dixie National Forest where the temperature can be 20–30 degrees cooler, tucked beneath the Pine Valley Mountains.
What to do
- Pine Valley Reservoir: fishing for trout in a forested setting
- Hiking: trails like the Whipple Trail climb into the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
- Camping: several Forest Service campgrounds among the ponderosa pines
- Historic Pine Valley Chapel: a photogenic 1868 pioneer church
Tips
- Bring a layer — evenings get cool even in summer
- The drive itself, through Central and up the canyon, is gorgeous
- Fall brings aspen color; higher roads can close with winter snow
The closest thing to a mountain getaway from the desert.