4 Best Sights in St. George, Southwestern Utah

Named not for winter weather but after a pair of pioneering Utahans named Snow, this breathtaking 7,400-acre red rock wonderland—about 10 miles northwest of St. George and located entirely within Red Cliffs Desert Reserve—abounds with natural wonders, many of which are easily explored from the well-marked parking areas. The best strategy is to enter from the south from Ivins and drive north along the 4½-mile park road to Highway 18, which leads south back to St. George.

Nearly 40 miles of hiking trails lead to lava cones, petrified dunes, cactus gardens, and high-contrast vistas. Great options if you have only a couple of hours include the short trek to the soaring slot canyon known as Jenny's Canyon and the slightly longer (it takes an hour) Lava Tube Trail. Upper Galoot is a pretty picnic area with grills as well as a short trail lined with interesting interpretative signs about the desert tortoise. From the campground you can scramble up huge sandstone mounds and look across the entire valley. Park staff lead occasional guided hikes.

The downtown centerpiece of St. George's growing art scene occupies an attractively reimagined former sugar-beet warehouse. The permanent collection celebrates the works of mostly regionally based potters, photographers, and painters, many of them depicting the region's spectacular landscapes. Rotating exhibits highlight local history and lore and showcase emerging contemporary talents. There's also a Family Discovery Center, with materials for kids to create their own works.

Next to Town Square Park and the downtown library and set inside a former school building with a striking red-stone exterior, this well-designed museum contains two floors of touch-friendly exhibits, including an earthquake-simulation table, a science discovery lab, a transportation center with planes and an auto shop, and a miniature version of St. George's red-rock–framed Tuacahn Amphitheatre.

Unearthed in 2000 by property developers, this site preserves and exhibits ancient footprints left by dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period millions of years ago. A modern museum displays dinosaur fossils and replicas and presents several short informative videos about the Jurassic era. There's an interactive area for children and a Dino Park outside the museum with shaded picnic tables and a "Walk Through Time" exhibit.