Southern Utah is packed with scenic beauty and adventures expanding 200 miles surrounded by the Dixie National Forest. The southern part of Utah offers three national parks, three national scenic monuments and one national recreation area along with numerous scenic byways and views. Hiking trails offer something for everyone, from an easy walk to challenging overnight excursions.
Trail Maps
Trail maps give important information used to evaluate the proper trail for your abilities. Stop at a visitor's center or local chamber of commerce to pick up detailed free maps. Trail maps are well organized, giving the location of the trail heads, range of difficulty-easy, moderate, strenuous-the time it takes to complete the trail-round trip from 30 minutes to all day-the round trip distance, and the season each trail is open.
Scenic Trails
Quieter areas include Bryce Canyon National Park and Red Canyon with 50 miles of trails with limestone spires. Cedar Breaks offers fewer trails but features lush wildflower meadows, the grand staircase and ancient ruins. Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the U.S. has the world's largest natural bridge.
Zion National Park features towering cliffs and narrow canyons. A shuttle is required through Zion's main canyon, and tourists are plentiful. The shuttle will drop off and pick up hikers at various locations. Kolob Canyon outside Zion has the world's largest freestanding arch with peaceful quiet trails, according to the National Park Service. Hikers will enjoy Kolob's arch trail.
Considerations
Most hiking trails open Memorial day and close Labor Day. Plan to spend one day at each location. Scenic drives between trails offer views of lush meadows filled with wildflower displays of red, yellow, purple and blue. Consider flying into Salt Lake City and rent a car. Drive through southern Utah ending up just outside Las Vegas at the Grand Canyon. Return the car and fly home from Las Vegas.
Travel Information
The larger tourist towns with motels are Cedar City and Parowan. Zion and Bryce Canyon have accommodations just outside the park entrance. Camping and RV sites are easy to reserve. The small town of Brian Head is centrally located at Cedar Breaks National Monument and has condominiums for rent.
National park entrance fees are $25 as of August 2010. National monuments and recreation areas are $4. Seniors can buy a National Park pass for $10.
Packing
For the casual walker on an easy trail, tennis shoes will work, but do expect a rocky and multilevel terrain. Hiking boots ensure you will not slip. Dress in layers to deal with temperature fluctuations.
Bring a water bottle with you on the trails. Drink one gallon of water per day, especially in higher altitudes. A good idea is to pre-pack a backpack with a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, binoculars, camera, hiking boots and energy bar.
Staying Connected
Cells phone signals are hard to find in most canyons and parks. Chamber of commerce offices and other locations in a few towns have WiFi.
Health Awareness
Be aware that higher elevations bring thinner air and extremely hot sun. The outside temperature may feel cool, while the sun is burning your skin. Bring sun block and a hat. Be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness or oxygen deprivation.
Member Comments