St George, Utah Trip

This past weekend, Ryan and I had the opportunity to go to St George, Utah for a clay conference.  We rented a super nice Airbnb with a group of four other ceramic artists, me being the tag along for the trip.  Though we all had dinner together each night, I was on my own during the day while they attended the conference.  I had researched some places to visit beforehand, and I was excited to get some hiking in.  Though St George is a smaller city with less activities than our normal trips, it’s a gorgeous spot for some nature exploring.  Below are details on the places I ventured to, along with a couple restaurants we tried.  (I’ll mostly let the pictures do the talking).  I really enjoyed my time there and I’m looking forward to visiting next year for the conference.

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Snow Canyon

Snow Canyon had a small entrance fee ($10 per car), and was well worth it.  It had several trails to choose from for different levels of intensity or time spent hiking.  This was the one excursion Ryan and I did together, so we only had a couple hours to hike.  We chose a medium length trail and just circled back once we were done.  The terrain was varied and gorgeous, with lots of crevices, canyons and rock structures that look almost like they were melting.  Our hike wasn’t terribly difficult, just a few steep parts.  You do need to be careful of your footing the entire way.  So I’d say many beginners can handle it if they are looking for a slight challenge. 

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Zion National Park

Zion is about an hour drive from St George, and it’s a beautiful and easy drive.  It costs $35 per car ($20 per person if you walk into the park without a car), but the pass lasts you 7 days.  I was lucky to be there in the off season, so it wasn’t near as crowded.  I did notice a line to get in by mid-afternoon though when I left.  Since I only had a few hours to explore that day (I fully intend on coming black), I did the Pa’rus paved trail.  This trail is averaged at 2 hours (3.5 miles), and it’s flat for anyone looking for something easy to take in the scenery.  It’s great for anyone riding a bike, using a stroller or in a wheelchair.  The other trails offer more extensive views of Zion, but most are much longer or were closed because of the landslide.

After my walk, I took a drive on the scenic highway, and made lots of pit stops to take in the sights and take photos.  Overall, a great experience for my first visit to Zion.

 

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Pioneer Park & Red Desert Hills Garden 

On my last day, I visited the FREE garden and park, which are connected to each other.  The cactus garden was pretty well organized, but not as impressive compared to the cactus garden I saw in Phoenix.  The Park had a lot of young families and walking couples, since there are a few nice dirt paths to follow through the rock formations.  I enjoyed getting off the path more and climbing the rocks.  There are great views of the valley and city below from the top of the rocks.

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Black Bear Diner 

We ended up going here twice.  Great prices, huge portions, and a vast menu of all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner items.  All of us enjoyed our different choices, so you can’t go wrong.

Honolulu Grill

This place was chosen on a whim and we are so glad we went there! If you want some authentic Hawaiian food, it’s the place to go.  It’s more of a fast food style atmosphere, but really delicious.

*The other times we ate, we had packed lunches we made at the Airbnb.  No need to go fancy with food when on a hike or at a conference.*