By Bekah Whitney
St George is one of those places where you feel like you are in the desert. There are no trees, no shade, and it is bone dry. It has the energy of a busy city with an incredible calm of people who are visiting to enjoy the outdoor activities. There are enough things to do in St George to keep you busy for months, but if you only have one day to explore the city we have created this perfect itinerary for you!
Pioneer Park is a staple of a trip to St George. Set the scene for your one day in St George with this iconic park inside St George’s city limits. The morning is a wonderful time to visit as it is still cool and the crowds have not flocked to the park yet. Pioneer Park has a wide variety of rock features so there really is something for everyone. Whether you choose to eat breakfast overlooking the city on Dixie Rock or explore the narrows your morning will be well spent at this park.
Park GPS Coordinates: 37.11480, -113.57784
Or type in: Pioneer Park
Features: There are a variety of hikes and rock formations in Pioneer Park. Unless you are trying to see something specific, such as the narrows, I suggest just parking and seeing what catches your eye. This is my favorite way to explore the park and I always have a wonderful time.
The Tiki Island Broiler is one of our favorite stops for a quick bite. Sawyer washed their windows and was treated with a free lunch which was so good we make sure we go back every year. It’s a hawaiian style place that makes great asian-infused dishes. Each plate comes with tempura sweet potatoes and zucchini which are delicious. The pulled pork rice bowl is always a good choice, and their chicken sandwich has a big grilled pineapple ring on it and it’s amazing.
After lunch, it’s time to decide how to spend the bulk of the afternoon. We have compiled 3 amazing adventures to do with your One Day in St George depending on how you are feeling. Below is one of our favorite hikes, a wonderful mountain bike ride, or heading to Sand Hollow to kayak or swim.
Here are our top 3 picks for choosing how to spend your day outside:
If you are looking for a fun hike in the afternoon, look no further! Elephant Arch is a relatively flat easy hike for most of the way, then turns stunning near the end. Remember to bring plenty of water, hat and sunglasses, and sunscreen up as there is no shade on this hike. If you are wanting to bring your pup, check the forecast first to make sure there is no chance of them overheating. The desert can be brutal on your pets and it’s better to leave them at home than to burn their paws or have to bring them to the emergency vet.
Length: 3.8 miles Round Trip, Out & Back, Rated Moderate
Elevation Gain: 341 ft
Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 37.17526, -113.49943
Or Type In: Elephant Arch Trailhead
Getting there: To find this trailhead it is best to follow the maps on your phone as the dirt roads are not well marked. Jump on I-15 North for about 4 miles. Take Exit 13 for Washington Parkway and take a left. From Washington Parkway you will take a right onto a dirt road. Follow your map and it will bring you to a gate that you can park near and that is where your hike will start!
The Hike: Like many of the hikes near St George the trails are not very well marked. I suggest having the map preloaded in All Trails so that you can make sure you are on the right path. From the parking lot you will walk along a sandy road until going down into a small canyon. Here you will follow the creek bed for a while. You will start to ascend over a hill and then descend back down. Once in the rocky area look around for the arch. I had a little trouble finding it at first, but once I saw it I knew!
The arch: Elephant arch is very accurately named. Made from beautiful red rock, it is quite fun to climb around it to see it at all the angles.
If you are feeling like jumping on a bike, Bearclaw Poppy is the place to be! This ride takes about 40 minutes if you don’t include the Stucci Springs Loop. For a longer ride add that in, or just do the track multiple times, it’s really fun and totally worth it! The trailhead is well marked and has a bathroom and water fill station for convenience as well!
Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 37.05299, -113.62678
Or type in: New Bearclaw Poppy Navajo Trailhead (Biking)
Getting there: To get to the Bear Claw Poppy trail head you must drive through a small neighborhood in Bloomington, Utah off of I-15. Many children are biking and playing so make sure to abide by the speed limits of the area.
Uphill: The uphill section is a very easy wash with a slight uphill grade for most of the ride. If you are very new to mountain biking there are multiple “shortcuts’ ‘ where you can jump on the downhill faster. The uphill and downhill are directional so please make sure you are always following the signs as riders will not be expecting anyone going against traffic. Bikers going downhill with the expectation of a clear trail go really fast sometimes!
Downhill: The downhill starts on top of a hill and is wonderfully flowy. Since the trail follows along the bottom of a large, variable cliff, you will notice trails on your left (further up the slope and more hilly) that you can ride on to make your ride longer or go to the right (less hilly) to make it slightly shorter. There are also sections where you can choose the moderate or difficult section to accommodate your skill level. Because you are riding along the bottom of a cliff, there are more little rollers and dips and rocks the further left, or up the cliff, you ride. Overall, Bear Claw Poppy is one of our favorite places to go for a quick fun ride.
This is one of the most popular options on our list since they are the most iconic and picture-worthy hikes we included. The hikes themselves aren’t the most exciting, but it’s the destination that makes it worth it!
Sand Hollow State Park is a reservoir that has an incredible rock island in the middle of the reservoir that you can paddle to. Many people enjoy riding their OHVs on the beach, cruising around the lake on motorboat, and our personal favorite paddling on the lake.
Fees: Utah Residents: $15 per car, Non-residents $20 per car
Address: 3351 South Sand Hollow Road, Hurricane, UT 84737
Kayaking: You can launch your kayak from pretty much anywhere around the reservoir, but we recommend launching near the boat ramp. From the shore you can easily paddle to and around the island and into little coves. You are welcome to pull your boat up on the rocks to walk around the island. The wind can pick up and be pretty strong at Sand Hollow so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back to shore.
We have been going to Zion Brewery Station 2 since they first opened. They have done an amazing job creating a wonderful atmosphere out of this old fire station. They have something for everyone including outdoor patios with games, a small venue for open mic and performances, a full service bar, and a large screen tv with comfy leather couches for game days. Plus, amazing craft beer. Since they don’t serve food, you are allowed to bring in outside food. You can order a pizza, get takeout from Benja’s (both are right across the street), or order something from the food truck if it’s open. I think the truck serves hot dogs and pretzels.
Hi! I’m Bekah, but you can call me Beks, all my friends do! I travel full-time in a tiny home on wheels that my partner, Sawyer, and I built from a cargo trailer shell in 2019. We started out in beautiful Colorado and have been all over the United States over the years. This space is designed to inspire and guide the nature obsessed nomad, weekend warrior, and future roadlifer. I’m so excited you’re here!
Get my incredible FREE guide to get yourself prepared for Vanlife!
St George is an incredible place that has a wide variety of activities. We hope this One Day itinerary really showed you how incredible St George is and that it’s worth more visits in the future.
Let us know if there is anything you would add to your visit in St George, as we had a very difficult time narrowing it down. Remember to share with your friends and family who love hiking and want to explore Utah!
Want to know more about St George Utah? Check out all our guides:
We wanted a watercraft for a long time, but didn’t quite know what to pull the trigger on. We wanted something that was durable and folded up nice and small. After watching videos of a jeep driving over the kayak and hit it with a hammer, we knew it was the one for us!
If you don’t already have a hammock, you really need to get on it! The Eno is a lightweight, packable, and durable hammock perfect for anyone living on the road. We have a single nest because neither of us seem to want to be in the hammock at the same time, but they do make a Double Nest if you are looking to cuddle up with your significant other in it.
Listen, everyone with photos of their van door wide open has flies. Adding a screen door was an absolute game-changer for us, plus it is attached through velcro so that you can easily remove it when you are ready to take those idyllic photos. If you haven’t hit the road yet, just get one. If you already have, this is the answer to your fly problem, you’re welcome.
4 Comments on Epic One Day in St George Itinerary for Adventure Lovers
This looks like a cool place to hike and I loved the picture with your dog on top of the arch. The elephant arch was looking cute as well. Great place for a day trip adventure.
Thank you! He's my favorite hiking buddy!
St George looks amazing! I would love to see the elephant arch and several other locations you mentioned. Thanks for getting this destination on my radar.
You're welcome! Gunlock Falls is also active this year so it's an incredible time to visit!