Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs is a designated wilderness area within the Vermillion Cliffs…read moreNational Monument, which straddles the border between Utah and Arizona and is approximately 40 miles East of Kanab, UT. This wilderness area wraps around the northern side of the monument and encompasses the Paria River canyon and other smaller, connected canyons. It is also the site of the famous landmark known as "The Wave," though that area (called 'Coyote Buttes North') is only accessible via permit; and such a permit can only obtained via a lottery system. But if, like us, you don't win that lottery, this beautiful area still has plenty to offer, namely: stunning slot canyon hiking. PCVC wilderness area is accessible via three trail-heads on two different roads off Hwy 89. We chose the Wire Pass trail-head off House Rock Road, which involved just over 20 miles of driving on a winding, sandy (and sometimes rutted) dirt road off the highway. (Note: this road is not passable after heavy rain). Our destination was the Paria River canyon itself, which can be reached from the the trail-head by passing through Wire Pass. Long story short, our hike was beautiful. Wire Pass itself narrowed from a wide 'wash' to a narrow slot canyon about 50 ft high, and we could feel the temperature drop about 10 degrees as we entered the latter. There was at least one semi-treacherous spot where a steep, blind climb-down over a large rock was required (I was glad to have long legs). The canyon opened up a bit at the confluence with Paria River canyon, before transforming again into a wider but much deeper slot canyon downstream. But due to the dangers of flooding in this narrow space, we ended up turning back before our planned turnaround point, since we sighted (and heard) some big thunderheads about 20 miles or so upstream. (We agreed not to die of stupidity). But we still had a great day. Other things you should know before visiting Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliff Wilderness: -- A permit is needed for backpacking overnight in Paria Canyon -- Don't think you can just sneak over to 'The Wave' without a permit. It is patrolled daily; and fines range from $1k to $10k. They've even been known to impound vehicles -- If hiking a long distance in Paria canyon, you will get wet; wading through some deep pools may be required (so bring water shoes and hiking poles) -- All poop must be packed out (You heard me) -- Local monsoon season is June - Sept; best avoided for flash flooding

This place is so beautiful and peaceful. It's hard to imagine how hard it must have been to live…read moreback then. Take the hikes if you can. Get tickets at the main office to hike down to the dwellings. They will only let so many people down a day.

I was thinking about slot canyons today …read more.. Check out the original review! What a trip down memory lane. I choked up a little.

Sometimes we aren't in the mood for a true "hike" where you have to navigate trails, climb an…read moreincline or commit to a strenuous activity. There are times when we prefer a leisurely stroll, likely at the end of a dog leash, and the Virgin River Trail is just perfect for that! There's ample parking and restrooms at the park, then you can hop on the trail in a variety of directions. The path is paved and very clearly marked, so you know where to go. There are even signs along the way directing to different trails as well as information about the length. I especially like the bridges over the Virgin River-they make for a nice photo. Not a lot of shade, so if you're walking in the summer months, prepare for that.

I had an idyllic escape to St. George, UT during my spring break staycation back in March. After…read morearriving in St. George, I beelined to Confluence Park to bike the Virgin River Trail, which parallels the Virgin River for nearly 12 miles. The trail is well-maintained, extremely scenic, passes through diverse Southwestern landscapes, and is relatively flat (with the exception of the detour I took through picturesque Cottonwood Canyon on the Hell Hole Trail). Biking the Virgin River North Trail out and back from Confluence Park is roughly 18.2 miles. I did an extra seven miles on the Hell Hole & Virgin River South Trails to get me closer to 25 miles total. During my bike ride, I encountered photographers, runners, hikers, other bicyclists, and families/groups of people out on leisurely strolls. I would rate the Virgin River Trail as easy and suitable for all fitness levels. I found Cottonwood Canyon and the steep Hell Hole Trail hard/difficult as a novice biker, but well worth the effort! After my bike ride and lunch in St. George, the adventure continued with a scenic drive back home through the Virgin River Gorge (AZ), Moapa Valley (NV), and Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NV).

What a fun little area we found and got to explore. Stunning vistas of St. George too. There are a…read morefew parking lots, and they are free too. There is a place to eat with several picnic tables too. There are some informational signs explaining the history of the area. The landscape is red / orange and full of places to explore and hike around. There are some neat little caves, arches, and assorted nooks and crannies. Great place for everyone to enjoy. I saw families with little ones climbing and hiking, and adults of various ages traversing the rocks. There is a way to hike up to the top of the largest peak, but it is slippery getting up and down. There were some people practicing repelling down from the top. Enjoy the photos.

Well Red Gigantic…read more±45k-acre conservation area that was established in 1996 and features almost 130-miles of hiking trails. We only explored a very small portion of the area as we needed to mosey on over to our final destination of Zion but it def looks like something we'd be all-over if we're in the area again. The views are spectacular but be sure to bring water, hat and sunscreen as there's not much in the way of shade--at least in the St George portion we reconnoitered. Happy hikes, kids!

I went for a long walk here during my visit to St. George. It is a great place to go on a walk in…read morethe morning hours. The park has miles of paved walking trails. There are lots of birds to see in the morning. It was nice to visit a park that doesn't have a bunch of hobos camping out, like many of the parks here in Southern Nevada nowadays. I recommend wearing good hiking shoes and bringing some extra water.

Walking the trail in the area! Clean bathrooms. Good parking. Virgin River runs through it here…read more Easy to access.

Such a nice little park for kids! We didn't get to do the train but hope to another time. Swings,…read moreslides, and more. Def recommend. We went when it was not busy at all so might have a different opinion when really busy.

Visit Oct 4, 2025 afternoon. Did the train. $2 each. Nice ride. It's diesel…read more Park is wonderful. We saw the volcano go off and it had steam and sound from dinosaurs. Fantastic park play structures. But please fix the second zip line. It's most popular attraction and many kids want yo line up to do the zipline. One is there but inoperable.

Sometimes I'm in absolute awe of nature-and this lovely park inspires all of the awe. It's not…read morelarge, but in the space that they have, they've done a great job to make this space welcoming and beautiful for all. There's a path that winds through the park that takes you through the trees, past the flowers and the bushes. There are signs throughout that tell visitors what plants are in the area, so you can better identify what you're looking at. Even though it gets extremely hot in the summer, there's a good amount of shade, so this park can be enjoyed morning, noon and night.

The Tonaquint nature center is another free place to check out when visiting St. George. The nature…read morecenter is part of a large multi-use public park with plenty of flat walking areas. The best time to visit would be Fall because the entire area was full of yellow and orange trees (Freemont cottonwoods). We walked here after visiting Thunder Junction and it was a nice place to stretch our legs and take in a nature walk. - Duck pond

Our family recently visited Utah and took a private tour (keeping socially distanced and wearing…read moremasks). We booked the tour with Happy Trails Adventure Company and were so pleased with what we received. We booked both a tour of Zion National Park and a tour of Bryce Canyon. Our guide was knowledgeable, professional, courteous and considered our areas of interest. My husband is a photographer and my son likes to hike. Our guide managed to find the right blend of activities for all of us. He also made sure we had plenty of water and snacks and took us to amazing lunch places (which were included in the price). We are certain that we would not have been able to get to the places we wanted to see in such an efficient way without the expertise of the tour. There are a lot of people visiting the national parks this year as a way to have a vacation while still controlling your interaction with others. These tours achieved that goal for us and made it an amazing experience. We highly recommend this tour group and will use them again.