Reginal Overviews
Statewide
Northern Utah
Central Utah
Southwest Utah
Southeast Utah
Topical Overviews
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Golfing
Hiking
Off-Road Driving
Rafting
Skiing
National Parks
|
Southwestern Utah - Travel and Vacation Overview
Southwestern Utah contains red rock desert landscapes of the Colorado Plateau and forested alpine mountain ranges. It features three national parks, magnificent Lake Powell and pleasant mountain recreational opportunities. Though lightly populated with just two substantial cities -- St. George and Cedar City -- Southwestern Utah is the most popular tourist area in the state.
Scroll down for a summary of each of its attractions. Click on any link below to access comprehensive travel information for that destination.
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Major Attractions and Cities |
|
|
| |
Bryce Canyon National Park is home to a series of spectacularly colorful and intricate rock forms carved by erosion from the edge of the Pausaugunt Plateau. An easy scenic drive runs along the top of the plateau to wonderful lookouts over the park. Numerous hiking trails run along the rim and down among the rock forms. |
|
| |
Capitol Reef National Park consists of a 100 mile long ridge of marvelously colored and wildly-varied red-, orange-, tan-, cream- rock. The park is rather isolated and is relatively lightly visited. Some of the most outstanding features of the park and its best short hikes can be accessed from Hwy 24 and the park's short scenic drive. The more adventurous can backpack or 4wd to exceedingly rugged and remote areas of the park. |
|
| |
Lake Powell is a vast body of clear blue water beautifully contained within tall orange-red cliff walls. Thousands of snaking finger canyons run from the main canyon and beg exploration. Houseboating, power boating, water skiing and fishing are all popular, as is camping along its nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline. |
|
| |
St. George is the largest town in southern Utah. Boasting pleasant winter weather, St. George serves as a winter escape for the state's northerners ("snowbirds'). It has lots of golf courses and plenty of shopping. It also serves as a base for those visiting Zion National Park. |
|
| |
Zion National Park is Utah's most popular park. The massive cliff walls of granite that tower above the canyon floor are truly inspiring. Great day hikes and good backpacking opportunities are numerous. Easy scenic drives take you to the best views. |
|
|
|
|
| Other Attractions and Cities |
|
|
| |
Boulder Mountain rises 11,000 feet above Capitol Reef National Park. It makes up half of the Aquarius Plateau, a forested highland that occupies some 900 square miles west and north of scenic Hwy 12. |
|
| |
Brian Head is a small resort town 9,850 feet up in the pretty, heavily forested Markagunt Plateau. In winter visitors come to enjoy Brian Head Ski Resort; in summer they tackle the highlands mountain biking and hiking. A few miles from Brian Head is Cedar Breaks National Monument. |
|
| |
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a condensed version of Bryce Canyon, featuring one wonderful large amphitheater of eroded rock forms along the edge of the Markagunt Plateau. A short scenic drive along the rim takes you to good lookouts. There are also a few short hikes along the rim looking over the amphitheater. |
|
| |
Cedar City is a mid-size city along I-15 just east of the Markagunt Plateau. It serves as a base for those exploring the plateau and as a more distant base for those visiting Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. In late summer the city hosts a very popular Shakespeare Festival. |
|
| |
Escalante is a small, sleepy ranching town in the middle of nowhere. To the north is the alpine wilderness of the Aquarius Plateau, in all other directions lie miles and miles of rugged, pristine red rock desert. |
|
| |
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is the nation's newest national monument. It encompasses a huge area of rugged desert and remote canyons. It has some great scenic drives and challenging hiking opportunities. |
|
| Kanab
|
Pop: 4,000
|
(Traveler's Stop)
|
| |
Kanab is a small town strategically located on Hwy. 89 between Zion National Park, Lake Powell and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. It is primarily a traveler's stop with lots of motels and a selection of casual places to eat. |
|
| |
Markagunt Plateau is a heavily forested highland of peaks, rolling hills and broad meadows. It contains two splendid scenic drives, a couple of large natural lakes, and good opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. Within it is Cedar Breaks National Monument and the resort town of Brian Head. |
|
| |
Page was born in the early 1960's with creation of Lake Powell. It now serves as a base town for those visiting that wonderful body of water. The young town doesn't have much character, but it does offer lots of accomodations, some restaurants and plenty of fast food. |
|
| |
Panguitch is a small ranching town in a valley between the Markagunt and Pausaugunt Plateaus. It serves primarily as a base for those visiting Bryce Canyon and/or exploring the Markagunt Plateau. |
|
| |
The Pine Valley Mountains are a pleasant small range (10,365) covered with thick forests of pine and aspen. They provide a nice break from the heat of the surrounding desert landscape. |
|
|
