11 Easy Hikes in St George for Little Explorers
Hey, Minivan Fam! JJ here. Brittany and I have been taking annual trips to St. George since we were kids and now we’re passing that tradition onto our own kids. Now, let’s talk trails. St. George is a treasure trove of awesome hikes and nature adventures, and guess what? It’s a paradise for your little adventurers too! With not one, not two, but multiple state parks and the breathtaking Zion National Park just around the corner, you’ve got yourself a goldmine of easy hikes in St. George that are practically tailor-made for your pint-sized explorers.
Here’s Where to Find the Best Easy Hikes in St George:
These are the four main areas that we’d recommend for easy hikes in St. George for little kids and each one has multiple trails to choose from. I’ll break down our favorite hikes at each one, but just keep in mind there are more difficult options I’m not covering in this post. I’d recommend downloading the AllTrails app to discover more.
Definitely add at least one of these to your Utah bucket list – though you may not be able to pick just one! We have our favorites that we do frequently but we also discover something new every time we go, which keeps us coming back year after year. All the best easy hikes in St George can be found in four main areas.
Easy Hikes In St. George – Pioneer Park
For really easy hikes in St. George, look no further than Pioneer Park, near the St. George Temple and just up the hill from St. George Blvd. It’s less of a hike and more of just a great spot to go for a nice stroll and let the kids run around on some red rocks and play in the sand for an hour or two.
1. Dixie Sugarloaf (aka Dixie Rock)
This is a St. George landmark that’s hard to miss, with ‘DIXIE’ painted in white on the red cliffs. It’s one of the most popular easy hikes in St. George because it’s a mere 15-minute scramble to the summit, where you’re greeted with a 360-degree view of the city, the St George temple, red rock formations, and the Virgin River Valley. It’s an ideal spot for a family photo op or a picnic while soaking in the sunset hues.
2. St. George Narrows
This short slot canyon is about as narrow as it gets but is one of the most fun easy hikes in St George! Kids can easily make it through from one end to the other but it’s a tight fit for adults. I’m not gonna lie – I chickened out and had to walk backwards out the way I came in. But even if you don’t make it through, the kids will have blast scrambling around on all the red rocks. And next to the narrows is a cool little arch called Pioneer Park Arch. There’s also a pioneer cabin built into the cliffs that’s fun to explore.
3. Red Hills Desert Garden
The Red Hills Desert Garden is like a living encyclopedia of desert flora. It’s a free botanical garden with all kinds of cacti and desert flowers. Stroll along paved pathways as you encounter over 5,000 water-efficient plants from arid regions worldwide. Interpretive signs and shaded seating areas make this an educational and relaxing experience for families.
There’s even some fake dinosaur footprints, a man-made slot canyon, and some water features with fish. It’s a nice walk anytime of year, but especially in the spring when the desert cactus flowers are in bloom.
Easy Hikes In St. George – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
The Red Cliffs National Recreation Area is a stunning natural gem located in the vicinity of St. George, Utah. The area is renowned for its captivating red rock formations, including towering cliffs, canyons, and unique geological features. These striking landscapes make it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts, hikers, and photographers.
Part of the fun about this place is trying to find it. It’s definitely off the beaten path – although it is a popular campsite among locals so the small parking lot can fill up fast. It’s in between St. George and Leeds and you have to drive under a one-lane underpass to find it.
4. Red Reef Trail
This is a 2.2 mile out and back trail that takes you through some beautiful desert scenery to a small waterfall. It’s a really fun place to take the kids and scramble up the side of the waterfall, slide down the natural water slides, and jump off some mini cliffs into the water. To get there, you hike next to a stream the whole time through valley lined with some tall red cliffs. There are large big cactus bushes along the trail that reminded me of Moses and the burning bush.
5. Dinosaur Footprints
This trail is shorter but the uphill climb can be a little strenuous for small kids. This is one of many places in the area where you can see actual dinosaur footprints etched into the sandstone. This is one of the most fun easy hikes in St George, especially if your little explorers are really into dinosaurs. But what kid isn’t?
Easy Hikes In St. George – Snow Canyon State Park
Hiking in Snow Canyon State Park is like stepping into a surreal desert wonderland. This Utah gem, just a stone’s throw from St. George, boasts fiery red rock formations, narrow slot canyons, and captivating vistas. Trails like Hidden Pinyon and Petrified Dunes offer family-friendly adventures, while the rugged Butterfield Trail beckons more seasoned hikers. The park’s unique geology, vibrant flora, and glimpses of wildlife create an unforgettable hiking experience, perfect for exploring the stunning desert landscapes with a sense of awe and wonder.
People say Snow Canyon could’ve been a national park if it weren’t overshadowed by Zion about an hour away. Nonetheless, it is one of my favorite places to visit when I go St. George. Whether it’s jogging or biking or even just taking a scenic drive, I love taking in the views at Snow Canyon. And there are a ton of short, easy trails for kids. And after forcing them to hike with us, we let them go play to their hearts content in the sand dunes.
For our favorite kid-friendly, easy hikes in St George, look no further than Snow Canyon.
6. Hidden Pinyon
Hidden Pinyon Trail is considered an easy to moderate hike, making it accessible to hikers of various skill levels, including families with children. It covers approximately 1.2 miles (round trip).
Hikers on the Hidden Pinyon Trail are treated to breathtaking views of the park’s iconic red rock formations, including sandstone cliffs and towering pinnacles, including some of the most scenic views of Snow Canyon. The trail meanders through a landscape adorned with desert vegetation, including pinyon pines and juniper trees.
One of the highlights of this trail is its accessibility to a hidden alcove. Inside the alcove, hikers can find ancient petroglyphs etched into the sandstone walls, providing a glimpse into the area’s rich cultural history. This feature adds an educational and historical dimension to the hike.
You wouldn’t think that a somewhat flat, one mile trail would take a long time but it is a sandy trail. This isn’t a problem unless your kids are like ours and just want to stop every fifty feet to play in the sand.
7. Jenny’s Canyon
0.3 miles. Do you like the sound of that? So do we! It’s a perfect trail for family hikes in St George especially because the payoff is so cool – it’s a mini slot canyon! Our kids beg us to go every time we’re St. George because they love the echoes and climbing in all the little nooks and crannies in the slot canyon.
This short but captivating trail offers a taste of the park’s unique desert beauty and is perfect for visitors of all ages. Despite its brevity, this trail packs a punch when it comes to natural beauty. Hikers will be enchanted by the vibrant and colorful sandstone cliffs that surround them. The highlight of the trail is a small slot canyon, which is both a geological wonder and a fun and safe spot for exploration.
8. Cinder Cone
Cinder Cone Trail is a 1.7 mile hike up a volcano. Yeah – a VOLCANO! Totally unexpected but so cool. Cinder Cone Trail is a unique and adventurous hiking experience because the black lava rock is somewhat unexpected given its red rock canyon surroundings. You can actually see a lot of black lava rock throughout Snow Canyon and it makes for some amazing contrast against the red cliffs.
Cinder Cone Trail is considered a moderately challenging hike. While it’s not overly long, covering about 1.5 miles round trip, the trail involves some elevation gain and a steep ascent near the end. This makes it more suitable for little hikers with more experience.
Still, it’s one of the best easy hikes in St George. Not only will you be able to tell people you climbed a volcano, but the trail offers hikers breathtaking panoramic views of Snow Canyon and the surrounding red rock landscapes. As you ascend the cinder cone, you’ll be rewarded with ever-expanding vistas that showcase the park’s unique geology.
Zion National Park – The Best Hikes Near St. George
Zion is one of the most popular (and dangerous) national parks in the country. People come from all over the world to climb its sheer cliffs and go canyoneering down the Zion Narrows. Its most famous hike is the perilous Angel’s Landing, on which multiple people die every year.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t kid-friendly hikes! In fact, it’s a great place to find easy hikes in St. George as it’s less than an hour away from the main part of town. The stunning scenery make it a destination with some of the best hikes in Southern Utah and a great place for kids to fall in love with the outdoors.
9. Emerald Pools
Hiking to the Emerald Pools in Zion National Park is a popular and enchanting outdoor adventure that takes you to a series of stunning emerald-colored pools and waterfalls. It’s one of the best easy hikes in St George because it combines natural beauty, accessible trails, and refreshing water features, making it a must-do activity for many visitors to Zion.
There are three main tiers or pools in the Emerald Pools area: the Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools. Each pool offers a unique experience, and you can choose the level of difficulty and distance that suits your preferences and abilities.
The Lower Emerald Pools Trail is the easiest and most family-friendly option, with a relatively flat, paved path that covers about 1.2 miles round trip. Very manageable with small kids and they’ll love the waterfall.
10. Timber Creek Overlook Trail
One of the lesser known parts of the park (and so-o much less crowded!) is Kolob Canyons. This is because it’s far away from the main entrance in Springdale. The visitor center is actually located just off I-15 in between St. George and Cedar City. Kolob Canyons makes for an amazing scenic drive, especially on the trademark red asphalt.
Once you get to the top of the canyon, there’s a short 1.1 mile hike that overlooks the towering cliffs. Brittany hiked it while pregnant, so you know it’s not bad. The views are stunning and you’ll likely have them to yourselves!
11. Canyon Overlook Trail
This is an easy 1-mile kid-friendly alternative to Angel’s Landing, with views that are equally stunning, IMO. This is a lesser-known hike because you can’t take the shuttles to get there. To reach the trailhead, you’ll need to pass through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which is a unique experience in itself – it’s one of the most scenic drives in the country.
The trailhead for the Zion Canyon Overlook is located on the east side of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. The highlight of this trail is undoubtedly the stunning panoramic view of Zion Canyon and its towering red rock formations. As you ascend, you’ll be treated to ever-expanding vistas, making this a fantastic spot for sunrise or sunset photography.
The trail is short and relatively easy but features some narrow sections and drop-offs, so exercise caution, especially if you’re hiking with children. Stay on the designated path and be mindful of other hikers.
And if you’re hiking with a baby or toddler, try these hiking backpacks we’ve liked from Amazon:
If you found these tips useful, please consider sharing this post! Thanks for reading and happy hiking.
-JJ 🤘🏻
Our family is on a mission to experience the best our home state of Utah has to offer and help other families find affordable, kid-friendly adventures in the process. You can follow us on Instagram @theminivanbucketlist or download our free printable Utah Bucket List for a list of the top hikes in the great state of Utah, both for kid-friendly and more adventurous hikes.
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