Tag: Tom Garrison

This family friendly short hike is worth the effort. We spent less than an hour hiking about one mile for this exploration. If you enjoy musing about the meanings of ancient rock paintings in a national forest, give Lion’s Mouth Cave Trail a try.

Yearning for a bit off the beaten path adventure near the Utah-Nevada border in an idyllic southwest desert setting featuring a natural oasis, Joshua Tree forest, great mountain views, biological diversity, and the Beaver Dam Wash? If yes, then you are a prime candidate for an outing to the 600 acre Lytle Nature Preserve.

One of the best things about living in the St. George area is that you can take a short drive and be in the wilderness. We, my wife Deb and I, needed an adventure close to home. Although we have been steady hikers in the St. George area for 17 years, we never hiked T-Bone Trail in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. It’s a moderately strenuous hike beginning in a barren landscape and ending in with the sandstone formations in Pioneer Park—let’s go.

Red sandstone mountains are anything but rare in southwest Utah. But how often do you get to explore them up close? There is one close by, Sandstone Mountain, where the trail circles the base and crosses over the mountain. My wife, Deb, and I decided that’s the hike for us. We did not do the entire hike, it was strenuous. But the views were worth the effort.

Did you know there is an history steeped, easy, short hike with good views surrounded by urban St. George? There is, Temple Quarry Trail. It is a perfect mid-winter hike—in the sun and only 2.4 miles long round trip, not long enough to freeze even if it is a bit cold.

This hike is a bit unusual for the southwest desert, much of it is hiking through a shaded riparian area of cottonwoods and willows alongside Quail Creek. It also features magnificent views of the red sandstone mountains and cliffs to the north and west.

This merged out and back trail includes beautiful red rock formations, some distant arches, great views, and wildlife sighting opportunities.

Need an off the beaten path outdoor adventure, where you will probably not see another person (we only met one other hiker on the trail), featuring a Joshua Tree forest, spectacular mountain views, and the impressive Cedar Pocket Wash narrows?

If you like slogging through loose sand for a good workout, Sand Hill Trail is for you. Along with the workout are some spectacular views to the north of canyons...

Lava Flow Trail - Along with red sandstone, ancient volcanoes, and lava flows (the dark volcanic stone known as basalt when it cools) are major factors