Explore stunning red rock country on 2-hour road trip from Las Vegas

Much like the role Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area plays in Southern Nevada, Snow Canyon State Park is a backyard source of adventure and beauty for St. George, Utah.

If hiking is part of your exercise routine, both spots offer a variety of trails and seasonal changes that keep the visuals interesting. In May, as the weather warms, cholla cactus in Utah and Nevada will be in bloom. Burnt orange flowers belong to Red Rock’s buckhorn chollas, while Snow Canyon’s golden cholla flowers are a sparkling green.

Sandstone formations are a common feature for this pair of desert recreational areas, but differences exist among plants and geology at what is Utah’s stunning intersection of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts and the Colorado Plateau. That’s what makes Snow Canyon worth a two-hour road trip north on Interstate 15 from Las Vegas.

About 15 minutes from downtown St. George, Snow Canyon State Park is a favorite among hiking Southern Utahns. There’s an entrance fee of $15 for out-of-state visitors, and the park has south and north entrances.

The most direct route from Las Vegas is to take the Washington exit off I-15 toward the park’s south entrance in Ivins. But once inside the park, visitors will want to cover the entire 7 miles of Snow Canyon Drive, so starting at the south or north entrance makes little difference.

38 miles of trails

Snow Canyon opens daily at 6 a.m., which is good news for those who want to avoid the day’s harshest heat. Wearing a hat and bringing plenty of water, snacks and sunscreen are always advised.

Park managers recommend avoiding hiking between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. when temperatures surpass 95 degrees. Like in Las Vegas, the heat in St. George is intense and should not be underestimated. Summer heat can kill in exposed, rocky recreation areas during more extreme temperatures.

However, pleasant hiking days typically can be expected in May in the Desert Southwest. Snow Canyon is a terrific option, whether Southern Nevadans are looking to enjoy an ambitious St. George day trip or a weekend escape to Southern Utah.

Don’t expect to see flurries at Snow Canyon; the park’s Snow name honors a pioneering Utah family.

At Snow Canyon, waves of red rock, ancient sand dunes and lava flows are key geologic ingredients. Hikers will find 38 miles of trails and a 3-mile paved path for walking and biking.

Popular trails in the 7,400-acre park include Lava Flow (moderate, 2½ miles, with a lava tube), Petrified Dunes (easy, 1.2 miles, with gigantic walkable petrified sand dunes) and Jenny’s Canyon (easy, less than a half-mile, with a slot canyon and fanciful sandstone patterns). Short neighboring hikes may be combined, and distances listed here are round trip. Longer hikes, including Scout Cave (moderate, 6 miles), are also noted on colorful, user-friendly maps handed out at park entrances.

Along these trails and many others, visitors can expect to see towering sandstone cliffs, lava flows, petrified dunes, dry creek beds, pockets of greenery where wildlife seek refuge, slot canyons, arches and majestic panoramas.

Views, volcanic remnants

In late April, my family started our Snow Canyon exploration at the north entrance of the park after traveling on state Route 18. En route, we drove past hikers and cyclists on the area’s extensive Paradise Canyon and Gila trails.

Within the park, Lava Flow trail was our first stop after driving past the Whiterocks area and gazing west toward the Red Mountain Wilderness Area. Fuchsia prickly pear cactus blooms popped on the desert floor, and porous lava remnants lined the trail. A trailside sign offered a reminder that it’s rattlesnake season and asked visitors to stick to designated paths to protect desert critters. At the end of the moderately challenging 1¼-mile path, a lava tube added to evidence of the park’s volcanic past.

After continuing south on Snow Canyon Drive and enjoying nonstop gorgeous red rock views, we stopped at the Petrified Dunes trailhead. Those red rocks are sand dunes frozen in time, and the thrill for kids and adults is in climbing to the top and enjoying panoramic looks below.

Our third and shortest trek was to Jenny’s Canyon, an easy-to-reach slot canyon with shade and a cathedrallike setting. The canyon’s red walls glow. Wind and water have sculpted the narrow space with elegance and whimsy. The walk to the canyon and back passes over fine pinkish-red sand dotted with the foot- and tail-prints of hidden lizards and small mammals.

For more information about Snow Canyon, including trail guides, visit stateparks.utah.gov or friendsofsnowcanyon.org.

Other area adventures

Whether a St. George itinerary includes a visit to Snow Canyon or a bike ride on easy paved trails or challenging dirt paths, the area offers plenty of exercise and adventure opportunities. Choices include everything from kayak and paddleboard rentals at nearby Sand Hollow reservoir to a stroll on Tonaquint Park’s boardwalk along the Santa Clara River.

■ Tonaquint Park: With plenty of shade trees, a pleasant boardwalk and a charming nature center, Tonaquint Park is an ideal place to spend a few hours.

Flowers are blooming in St. George. Fluffy ducklings could be swimming in Tonaquint Park’s pond, and desert cottontails might be hopping around grassy patches.

The community park’s walking paths are fun to explore and connect with the Santa Clara River Trail, a popular path for bicycling, walking and running. Picnic tables can also be found at Tonaquint Park, 1851 S. Dixie Drive.

To learn more about St. George’s multitude of parks and trails, go to sgcityutah.gov.

■ Sand Hollow State Park: About 20 minutes east of St. George, Sand Hollow is a Southern Utah water-sport and all-terrain vehicle hot spot. Rentals for both are available right at the typically bustling Virgin River-fed reservoir.

The park’s sandstone formations mix with blue water and sky into a stunning setting for recreation and relaxation. Just a couple of hours in a kayak, gliding through Sand Hollow’s waters, can help overworked, overscheduled city dwellers summon some calm on a quiet morning (but steer clear of the wake-filled afternoon hours at the popular cooling-off spot).

The entrance fee is $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends for out-of-state visitors. You can find more information and kayak rentals at stateparks.utah.gov.