Zion is full of slot canyons, amazing hikes and
also archaeological sites of ancient people who
have called the canyons and plateaus home for
over 10,000 years.
Angels Landing is the most popular hike at Zion.
The 2.2-mile hike has been listed to be of the
most dangerous hikes in the world. However,
those who take on this hike, are rewarded with
incredible vistas.
Zion's canyons are constantly getting deeper
and wider. On average, the
Virgin River removes 1 million tons of
sediment yearly.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its
hoodoos.
Hoodoos are tall rock formations protruding
from the ground. They are often formed in dry
places from sedimentary and volcanic rock.
On clear days, it is possible to see more than
100 miles from Bryce Canyon.
There are three endangered wildlife species
that live in Bryce Canyon: the California
Condor, the Utah Prairie Dog, and the
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.
Cove Fort
The Fort was originally built in 1867 to offer
protection and refreshment to travelers or settlers
moving west.
The Fort is unique because of its volcanic
rock walls, rather than wood used in many
mid-19th-century
western forts.
The Fort has two sets of large wooden doors
on the east and west sides. These were
originally filled with sand to stop arrows
and bullets.¨
Free, guided tours of the fort are provided
daily.
Fillmore
Fillmore is a town located in Millard County,
Utah. The area was named for the thirteenth
U.S. President, Millard Fillmore.
Fillmore was the capital of the Utah Territory
from 1851 to 1856. It was chosen due to its central
location.
The original Utah Territorial Statehouse still stands.
In the area, hikers can explore unique cones and
lava-tube caves.
Brian Head Ski Resort
Brian Head is Utah's highest elevation ski
resort.
It has 8 chairlifts, 71 runs,
and 650+ skiable acres.
During the summer months without snow, guests
can still enjoy the resort through mountain
biking, disc golf, archery and hiking.
Fish Lake
Fish Lake is six miles long and one mile wide.
Fish Lake is home to many different kinds of
fish: Rainbow
Trout, Splake,
Lake Trout,
Kokanee Salmon,
Brown Trout,
Tiger Trout, Yellow Perch, etc.
To the southwest of Fish Lake, in Fish Lake National Forest,
stands the world's largest living organism. A one hundred acre
grove of quaking aspens, called the "Trembling Giant," or "Pando,"
all grow from a single shared root system.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Manti Temple
The Manti Utah Temple was the third temple
build in Utah.
The temple was built on a rattlesnake-infested
site, known as the Manti Stone Quarry.
A Norwegian boat builder was in charge of
designing the ceiling in some parts of the
temple. He was not sure how to go about it,
so he used the design of a boat and turned
it upside down.
There are three large-scale stairways in the
United States constructed with no central
support. Two of those are located in the
Manti temple. Each makes six complete circles
and has 151 steps.
Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument
The National Monument contains the richest
fossil trove of the Late Cretaceous period in
the world.
The Ute, Hopi, Zuni, Navajo, and Paiute
nations all have cultural affiliation with
the lands protected within the monument.
The oldest evidence of human habitation on
the Colorado Plateau is found here.
The National Monument was originally slightly
larger than the state of Delaware. In 2017,
the park size was reduced by presidential
proclamation, and is now only slightly more
than one million acres.
Lake Powell
Lake Powell was named for explorer John
Wesley Powell. Powell was a one-armed American
Civil War veteran who explored the river via
three wooden boats in 1869.
It is the second largest man-made reservoir
by maximum water capacity in the United States.
The dam is a major source of hydroelectricity,
averaging over four billion kilowatt hours per
year.
Mystic Hot Springs
Native Americans who lived in this area would
often make their camps on the warm ground
near the Hot Springs.
Water from the springs is abundantly flowing
at 200 gallons per minute and a consistent
168 degrees Fahrenheit.
The main mineral in the water is calcium
carbonate, which forms ever-growing large
travertine mounds.
Old Frisco
Frisco, also known as Old Frisco, was
an active mining camp from 1879 to 1929, after
the discovery of silver ore in the area.
At its peak in 1885, Frisco was a thriving
town of 6,000 people. In its first six years
of operation, the mine had produced 54
million dollars-worth of ore.
In 1885, the mine caved in, and the town
slowly started to dwindle in population and
activity.
Frisco is located in Beaver County, where
many charcoal kilns and old buildings still
stand.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
The Dunes were formed from the erosion of
pink-colored
Navajo Sandstone surrounding the park.
The Dunes are estimated to be between 10,000
and 15,000 years old.
Many people like to camp and ride their
off-road vehicles at the Dunes.
Kanab
The Kanab area was first settled in 1864, and
the town was founded in 1870.
Kanab was named for a Paiute word meaning
"place of the willows."
For many years Kanab was one of the most
isolated cities in the nation.
The region has been used as a back drop for many films.
Many classic and modern westerns have been filmed near Kanab.
Shakespeare Festival
The Utah Shakespeare Festival was founded in
1961. Its first season was in 1962.
The Festival now plays to nearly 100,000
patrons who view almost 300 plays each year
over a sixteen-week season.
Southern Utah University (SUU)
SUU is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was
established in 1897.
When Utah was first founded, the State
Legislature authorized a branch of the state's
teacher training school to be located in
Southern Utah. Cedar City, Beaver, Parowan and
Paragonah were in the running. Cedar City won
out, gave 15 acres of land to the state and
constructed the first college building in the
city.
Veyo
The population of the town, Veyo, was only
483 in the 2010 census.
When the area was originally settled in 1911,
it was called "Glen Cove". When the settlers
decided it was time to have a permanent name,
they asked the local LDS girls to provide a
name. The girls came up with an acronym of
virtue, enterprise, youth, and order. Another
version of the story records the girls
creating the name from parts of the words
"verdure" and "youth."
This area is full of dormant volcanoes and
volcanic rocks.
Tuachan Center for the Arts
Tuacahn comes from a Mayan word meaning
"Canyon of the Gods".
The theater was founded in 1995 by Utah
playwright, Douglas C. Stewart.
Their beautiful red rock, outdoor amphitheater
seats an audience of 1,920, and is located in
Ivins, Utah at the mouth of Padre Canyon.
The first production shown was entitled "Utah!"
Dixie Rock (Sugar Loaf)
The graduating class from Dixie High School
rappels and paints the word "DIXIE" the day
after graduation each year.
From the top of Dixie Rock, one can see
spectacular views of the city and the distant
Zion National Park.
Dixie Rock is a considered to be part of
Pioneer Park, and includes 52 acres of
climbable red rock.
St. George Children's Museum
The museum began as Dixie Academy in 1911. It
was the first school in St. George.
The outer walls are red sandstone and the
foundation is made of volcanic stones
excavated nearby.
The museum's original mascot was a jackrabbit
named George. Now, the museum is home to Rufus
the dragon.
The museum got its start in 2013 as $1 million
worth of exhibits were purchased for only
$30,000 from the expanding Discovery Children's
Museum in Las Vegas.
Over the years, the museum has begun
renovating and creating its own exhibits,
making the museum what it is today.
St. George LDS Temple
Completed in 1877, the St. George Temple was
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints' third temple completed, but the first
in Utah.
The walls of the temple were built with the
red sandstone common to the area. They were
then plastered with a white finish.
The original tower of the St. George
Temple was struck in a lightning storm about a
year after its dedication, leaving it badly
damaged. A new, taller tower was completed in
1883.
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is a fossil
site and museum in Saint George, Utah. The
museum preserves thousands of dinosaur
footprints right at the original site of
discovery.
The accidental discovery of the footprints
was by a retired St. George eye-doctor, Dr.
Sheldon Johnson, on February 26, 2000.
Instead of the usual indented dinosaur tracks
(impressions), these were well-preserved 3-D
casts of dinosaur footprints.
Experts later came in and uncovered an
extensive "trackway" of dinosaur footprints.
Pine Valley Mountain
The highest point in this mountain range is
Signal Peak at 10,365 feet (3,159 m).
Pine Valley is a laccolith. This means that
magma lies between the layers of rock,
uplifting the area, making it into a mountain
range. Pine Valley is the largest laccolith
in the country.
The establishment of the town, Pine Valley,
predates St. George which was established in
1861.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks is a natural
amphitheater,
stretching across 3 miles (4.8 km), with a
depth of over 2,000 feet (610 m).
It was established as a national monument in 1933.
Early settlers called the unique formations
they saw badlands or breaks,
and created the current name by combining
breaks with cedar.
Yuba State Park
Yuba State Park was originally called "U.B.
Dam." Over time, because of its phonetic
sound, its spelling was changed to "Yuba".
Local farmers and ranchers built the dam to
keep from losing their water rights.
People use Yuba Lake for many recreational
activities including boating, swimming,
water skiing, picnicking and year-round
fishing.
Modena Ghost Town
This is an old abandoned railroad town near the Utah-Nevada border.
The town was founded in 1898 when the railroad first came through the area.
Water reserves at the nearby Desert Springs made it a convenient place for steam engines
to refill their water tanks.
The invention of diesel engines removed the need for trains to stop for water.
This is what eventually led to Modena becoming a ghost town.
