On my most recent trip, I found another reason to love the state: it has so much more to do outside the confines of its well-loved parks. Utah is rich in wildlife, wildly varied terrain, and layers of Indigenous history and culture, plus towns and cities with rapidly developing arts, culinary, and wellness scenes.
Photo: Roxanne Hoorn
The southern part of the state sits on the Colorado Plateau. It’s a vast, elevated expanse of ancient sandstone carved by rivers over millions of years into the canyons, mesas, and red rock formations that define the region. For outdoor enthusiasts, it’s one of the most compelling landscapes in the country, with opportunities ranging from hiking, biking, and climbing through red rock deserts to stunning night skies. Slightly north, you’ll find ski resorts that seem to have “the best snow on Earth.”
“That’s the thing about this area,” Brittany McMichael, director at Greater Zion, tells me. “There’s something for everyone, no matter what level you’re at.”
Photo: Brian Head Media Room
As the highest-elevation resort in the state, Brian Head claims to have “the best snow on Earth.” But during winter 2025-2026, it was lucky to have snow at all. While ski resorts across the western United States felt the impact of record-low snowfall, Brian Head Resort’s positioning gave it enough snowfall – and conditions cold enough for snowmaking – to run from mid-November into May, says general manager Tom Pettigrew. My early April visit was even followed by a snowstorm, leaving a nice layer of fresh powder for the next morning.
While the peaks may be high, prices are surprisingly reasonable. Single-day lift tickets can be as low as $14, on early and late-season days when demand is low. Brian Head is included on the Power Pass, a season pass that includes access to multiple resorts primarily around the American Southwest.
While it’s known for skiing, the resort is active during the summer, too. After the snow melts, local ranchers use the mountain for grazing, and mountain bikers come to explore its 100 miles of lift-serviced and cross-country trails.
Brian Head Resort: 329 UT-143, Brian Head, UT 84719
Night skies at Cedar Breaks National Monument. Photo: Visit Utah
Utah has the highest concentration of International Dark Sky-certified sites in the world. Cedar Breaks National Monument, with hoodoos and red rock features that have earned it the name “mini Bryce Canyon,” is one of the best places in the state to stargaze without the traffic of more well-known destinations.
Cedar Breaks sits at about 10,000 feet above sea level, park ranger Angelica Gutierrez says. “People think of red rock being in Moab,” she notes, not in state parks more than twice as high as Moab (which sits at around 4,000 feet).
That elevation makes the monument ideal for stargazing. The park offers guided astronomy programs, but even on your own, the night sky delivers. “You’d be surprised how much you can see with just a good pair of binoculars,” Gutierrez says.
Cedar Breaks National Monument: Brian Head, UT 84719
Photo: Roxanne Hoorn
The Parowan Gap, known locally as “the Gap,” is home to more than 90 petroglyph panels and 1,500 individual figures. Many are believed to have been inscribed around 1,000 years ago by the Fremont people, or “Nungwu,” as the state’s Paiute call them. The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, one of many Paiute peoples across the American West, is a federally recognized tribe of nearly 1,000 members spread across five communities in southwestern Utah. Their history is intrinsically intertwined with the state’s landscape and culture.
Paiute elders and researchers have interpreted some carvings as calendars or agricultural symbols, though many meanings remain debated. Their full significance will likely remain a mystery, and something for visitors to ponder.
While people of the past have left their marks on the place, today, locals and visitors alike are still using the site for special occasions. On the summer solstice, hundreds come to watch the sunset fall down the center of the gap between the two towering cliffs — a phenomenon that also occurs, to smaller crowds, on the winter solstice and both equinoxes. And on certain mornings in early November and early February, all eyes turn to a rock outcropping known as the Overseer (or Toovoots, as Paiute elders call him), shaped like a human head with an open mouth. As the sun rises, it rolls slowly into the Overseer’s mouth and disappears; a signal that winter is coming. In early February, he spits it back out, indicating spring is on its way.
Parowan Gap: Iron County, UT 84714
Photo: Utah Shakespeare Festival
The small town of Cedar City has a thriving arts scene, anchored by one of the oldest and largest Shakespeare festivals in North America. For more than 60 years, the elaborate production has drawn visitors from around the world, pulling more than 100,000 attendees each year.
The festival produces eight shows each season, with matinees, evening performances, and a free “Greenshow” – an outdoor pre-show of Renaissance music and dance – starting around 7 PM each night. There are three different venues, but if you can only catch one show, make it an evening performance in the open-air Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. It’s modeled after the original Globe Theatre and open to the desert sky. Tickets sell out quickly.
Utah Shakespeare Festival: 195 W Center St, Cedar City, UT 84720
Photo: Roxanne Hoorn
The same red rock landscape that draws hikers and climbers to Southern Utah also happens to be ideal ATV terrain, and there are miles of desert trails threading through canyon country, past formations you’d never reach on foot. The Hurricane and St. George area in particular has developed into one of the region’s premier off-road destinations, with networks of trails suited to everything from casual riders to those who want to push their limits on technical terrain.
Going out with a guide is the easiest way to get oriented, and Mad Moose Tours, based in Hurricane, is a solid option. Guides know the land well enough to skip the obvious routes and take you to spots that don’t show up on most maps, though you can also rent a vehicle loaded with GPS directions if you’d rather explore on your own. Racing past red rock canyons at speed is a different kind of rush than anything you’ll find on a hiking trail.
Mad Moose Tours: Old Rd, Hurricane, UT 84737
Snow Canyon State Park. Photo: Roxanne Hoorn
While I loved ATVing, it’s nice to slow down and take in the landscape. Hiking, biking, climbing, or kayaking are all easy ways to experience more of Southern Utah’s wild beauty.
Snow Canyon State Park is a good example of how much variety the terrain holds. In just a few miles of hiking, I passed through slot canyons, lava tubes, and petrified dunes, and stood on top of trails that opened to sweeping vistas. If you visit, keep your eyes peeled for desert tortoises, and don’t be afraid to stop to admire the cacti along the way that add unexpected bursts of color to the red rock surroundings.
Snow Canyon State Park: 1002 Snow Canyon Dr, Ivins, UT 84738
Photo: Roxanne Hoorn
I consider myself a hot spring enthusiast and have soaked in everything from remote backcountry pools to curated, spring-fed spas. But after a few days outside, Zion Canyon Hot Springs felt like one of the most relaxing springs I’d visited and an ideal place to help my sore hiking legs recover.
The springs have natural mineral pools alongside baths modeled after famous hot springs around the world. I spent an entire evening moving between areas, soaking in pools inspired by Japan, Indonesia, and even the Dead Sea. All the water is filtered and returned to the nearby Virgin River.
Visitors are a mix of travelers and locals. While sitting in a barrel sauna, I met campers, resort guests and a local who visits nightly and lives just across the street.
Zion Canyon Hot Springs: 203 W 300 S, La Verkin, UT 84745
Southern Utah takes wellness as seriously as it takes recreation. During a much-needed recovery massage, Cory at Plume Spa worked out deep-seated knots I didn’t know I had. The spa had both traditional treatments and more interesting options like lava-and-ice therapy or an “ancient sea massage,” plus a recovery room with salt inhalation and cryotherapy.
Plume Spa & Wellness: 1500 E Black Desert Dr, Ivins, UT 84738
Dishes at Black Desert Resort, Xetava, and Basalt. Photos: Roxanne Hoorn
Frankly, I didn’t know Utah produced wine at all, so it’s safe to say my tasting and tour at I/G Winery, Southern Utah’s largest and oldest, left an impression. Its wines are made on-site using grapes sourced from Utah and beyond. During my visit, the red and white wine drinkers in my group all seemed to favor the barrel-aged roussanne (a full-bodied white) for its rich, smooth finish.
I/G Winery: 59 W Center St, Cedar City, UT 84720
Perfectly charred crust and bubbling cheese on these woodfired pizzas make this St. George favorite worth a stop. I’m a meat eater, but the vegetarian artichoke pizza is truly unmissable, especially if you pair it with the arugula or gorgonzola salads.
Centro Woodfired Pizza: 1091 N Bluff St #1002, St. George, UT 84770
Xetava earns its reputation as a local favorite partly through its setting (a garden patio with a water feature and views of the desert surroundings) and partially because it’s reliably delicious. The menu is eclectic, the vibe is casual but polished, and the red rock cliffs are visible from nearly every seat. It sits inside Kayenta Art Village, a community often compared to Marfa, Texas, with artist studios, shops, and a botanical garden. Order the steak and avocado salad, or the frozen lemonade blended with coconut and mint, and plan to stay longer than you intended.
Xetava: 815 Coyote Gulch Ct, Ivins, UT 84738
This fine-dining steak house focuses on local ingredients from around Utah. Its black rock margarita and modern take on Utah’s infamous funeral potatoes were favorites at the table. Our server, Abe, was incredibly informative, pointing out local steaks (the restaurant’s specialty) but suggesting the sea bass, which was incredible.
Basalt: 1500 E Black Desert Dr, Ivins, UT 84738
Swig — the St. George-born chain that originated the “dirty soda” back in 2010 — is on every local’s list. The concept grew out of Utah’s Mormon culture, where alcohol is off the table but an elaborately doctored fountain drink very much is not. For many locals, a stop to get a customizable mix of soda, flavored syrups, and creamers is a daily ritual. Add-ins range from Sour Patch Kids and coconut cream to gummy sharks and guava.
Swig: 287 W St George Blvd, St. George, UT 84770 & other locations
Photo: Black Desert Resort
The official lodging of Brian Head resort has ski-in convenience in winter and immediate trail access in summer. There are outdoor fire pits, a heated pool, and an on-site restaurant. Rooms come with stone fireplaces and mountain views, and the lodge is pet-friendly, too. It’s also a useful jumping-off point for day trips to Cedar Breaks National Monument, less than nine miles away.
While there, I noticed an excellent promotion — a free lift ticket with every two-night stay. Turns out it’s an ongoing offer, available almost all winter long.
Brian Head Lodge: 314 W Hunter Ridge Dr, Brian Head, UT 84719
Set across 600 acres of red sandstone and ancient black lava fields near Snow Canyon, Black Desert Resort makes a strong first impression. I was welcomed with prickly pear lemonade (and views that explain why they chose this location). It’s known for its on-site golf course and has hosted several PGA Tour events, but it also just broke ground on 21 new pickleball courts. The property has a sleek, modern design, plus an on-site sauna and game room for leisurely post-hike evenings.
Black Desert Resort: 1500 E Black Desert Dr, Ivins, UT 84738
I met many people camping or RV-adventuring across Southern Utah, many of whom mentioned they’d camped at sites in Zion and Bryce Canyon, as well as free BLM land. You can also camp at Snow Canyon State Park. It’s advisable to book as far in advance as possible (reservations open four months in advance). While it’s not as popular as campgrounds in Zion National Park, it’s still extremely popular for a state park.
Snow Canyon State Park Campground: 1002 Snow Canyon Dr, Ivins, UT 84738
Flying into St. George’s small airport was incredibly easy, with minimal crowds and short lines. From the airport, it’s about 20 minutes to St. George, under an hour to Zion, and roughly 90 minutes to Brian Head. A car or shuttle service (I used Southwest Adventure Tours) is ideal for seeing all Southern Utah has to offer. 