Red Cliffs Recreation Area

One of the best places for an easy walk, a picnic and to see spectacular red rock canyon scenery. If you want to impress your friends and family, this is the place. There is a campground and picnic tables with a stream flowing through a grove of cottonwood trees. Take a 14 minute walk to the west into a canyon area where a small stream steps down in a series of waterfalls. Water flow is best after rain or in the spring or early summer. Avoid the canyon area during a rain storm.
Directions: Go north on I-15 to Leeds (5 miles) and turn immediately south (right) on the frontage road (going back to the community of Harrisburg). At Harrisburg store, go under the freeway and follow the paved road to the west for about 2 miles. Park your car and enjoy campground / picnic area or follow the signs for the trail into the canyon to the west.

Brian Head Ski and Summer Resort

Brian Head is located between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon just past scenic Cedar Breaks National Monument and is open year-round. Their winter season is from about November to April, depending on the snowfall. Brian Head offers excellent day and night skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. They also feature a snow tubing park called Burn Rubber, accessible by chair lift. This is a great activity for families and kids! Their summer season usually starts around June and ends around September, also depending on the weather. Their scenic chairlift will take you and your mountain bike to the peaks of Brian Head and let you ride down various trails at your own leisure. ATV’s are available for rent, and trails throughout the town and lead you out to wide open meadows and cliff edges that overlook Cedar Breaks where you will find unmatched wildlife and scenic photo opportunities. Click here for more information.
Directions: Take I-15 to Cedar City. Once in Cedar City, take Highway 14 to Highway 148 and enter Cedar Breaks National Monument. Pass through Cedar Breaks and enter Brian Head. The total distance is about 80 miles, just an hour and a half away.

Elephant Arch

Elephant Arch is in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area and was given that name because the arch looks like an elephant trunk, and wind and water erosion has formed an eye just above it. Elephant Arch actually consists of two different arches stacked on top of each other. The smaller arch is on top, and sits near the top of the larger one, making up the eyes and forehead of the elephant. The larger arch is on bottom, making up the trunk. The hike is about 6 miles round-trip, and one must remember to bring plenty of water, as desert hikes can be very hot and dry. For detailed trail instructions, click here.
Directions: Take Highway 212/Telegraph Street to Washington. Turn right on Main Street and go under I-15. Park just past where Main intersects with East Arrow Weed Way. The pavement of North Main Street ends and a locked gate bars motorized vehicle access. The entrance to Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is about 6 miles from Coral Ridge.

Kolob Arch

Kolob Arch has the longest span of all the freestanding arches in the world. Measuring 287.4 feet, the arch is a natural bridge formed by water erosion. There are three different trailheads to get to the arch and the most popular is from the Lee Pass Trailhead in Kolob Canyon. This two day hike is about 14.4 miles. Hikers should bring plenty of water and overnight gear because it gets cold in the mountains at night. For detailed instructions on how to reach the trailhead and arch, click here.
Directions: Take State Route 9 to I-15 North. Get off on exit #40 and drive up the scenic road about 4 miles. The trip is about 34 miles from Coral Ridge.

Kolob Fingers

The Kolob Fingers eroded into the edge of the Upper Kolob Plateau. Each finger canyon has a broad canyon mouth that tapers to a slot canyon in the upper reaches of the canyons. A 10-mile round-trip drive through Kolob Canyon has a great scenic viewpoint and a short trail where you can view the Kolob Fingers and Kolob Arch. The scenic drive is accessible by taking exit #40 from I-15 south of Cedar City. For more information, click here.
Directions: Take State Route 9 to I-15 North. Get off on exit #40 and drive up the scenic road about 4 miles. The trip is about 34 miles from Coral Ridge.

Oak Grove Campground

The campground is at the base of Pine Valley Mountain. This area features a ponderosa pine forest and stream that runs through the campground. The trail from this campground goes up on top of Pine Valley Mountain.
Directions: Go north on I-15 to Leeds and go north through town and at north end of town go under the freeway to Silver Reef. Follow the main road through town (west) and then follow the signs, you will turn off on a dirt road to Oak Grove Campground (7 miles).

Tonaquint Nature Center

Tonaquint Park is an oasis of nature in the heart of St. George. Enjoy the ripple of the Santa Clara River, the rustle of cattails or even hear the screech of a red-tail hawk at St. George's best kept secret. Local professionals and experts in various nature-related fields host fascinating programs for the Family Nature Night and Wild Wednesday lecture series. Family Nature Nights are fun, relaxing and educational evenings designed for families. Click here for more information.
Directions: Located in St. George, Utah at 1851 South Dixie Drive, just west of Southgate Golf Course, Tonaquint Nature Center offers outdoor educational programs for all ages.

Virgin River / Virgin River Gorge

The Virgin River is partially responsible for the formation of Zion National Park. Tributaries of the river flow from several areas north and east of Zion National Park and come together for significant water flow during rainstorms and spring snow run-off. The Virgin River flows from Zion National Park through the town of Springdale and follows a southwesterly course to St. George. It continues through the Virgin River Gorge and on to Mesquite, Nevada, then continues until it finally enters Lake Mead on the Colorado River.
Directions: The Virgin River Gorge is accessed via I-15 just 8 miles southwest of St. George, Utah. There is an exit in the center of the Virgin River Gorge that has a picnic and campground area and allows access to the Virgin River.