Slow Roll

Written by Devon O’Neil for Bike Mag

Southwest Utah’s rise to riding fame

As I climbed out of a truck in Utah’s Gooseberry Mesa parking lot, toothy, redrock peaks filled the view to the north and east, highlighted by the world-famous skyline of Zion National Park. I’d been told to expect a two- to three-hour ride that was rugged and technical. But perusing our flat surroundings made me skeptical.

Perhaps sensing my apprehension, Jake Weber, a retired Army combat engineer-turned guide with Utah Mountain Biking Adventures, offered a measure of reassurance. “We get a lot of people who show up and say they want to ride 30 miles every day of their trip,” he told me. “But after about 15 miles on their first day, they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’re good,’ and they’re ready for a beer at the trailhead.”

Welcome to the land of “mesa miles.” Maybe you’ve heard of them. In short — no pun intended — they’re harder than standard miles which makes them feel longer. The more you ride them, the more comfortable you get disclosing that you “only” rode 10 miles today and it still took two hours.

I had never ridden a mesa mile when I got to Washington County, Utah, which is well known to desert aficionados as a singletrack oasis and has hosted the world’s premier freeride competition, Red Bull Rampage, off and on since 2001. Still, it remains something of a hidden gem to the rest of the riding world, in part because it’s remote: four hours from Salt Lake City, six hours from Phoenix, nine hours from Denver.

St. George, the county seat and a city of roughly 90,000 people, spent decades as a retirement community for golfers and still attracts celebrities like Michael Jordan to its greens come winter. But starting around the mid 2000s, adventure took a bite out of golf’s place as the area’s top attraction. The number of local outfitters swelled from a dozen to more than 50. Mountain biking overtook road biking as the most popular two-wheeled pursuit. With an almost 90-percent population jump since 2000, Washington County ranks as the fastest-growing metropolitan area in America. It also has a warmer climate than its sometimes-rival, Moab, five hours to the northeast, and offers legitimate riding and 60-degree temps in the belly of winter.

On this beaming morning in early October, photographer Margus Riga and I had joined a local crew for a spin along the South Rim and through Hidden Canyon. Gooseberry, the original mesa ride and still a lot of locals’ favorite mesa of the five with trails, carries an almost-mythical reputation among those who know about it. Mostly that is due to Goose’s sandstone features and their surprising, albeit intimidating, ridability.

“They’re like giant rock biscuits that you can just roll up onto,” said 54-year-old Kenny Jones, who owns Gooseberry Yurts and once finished 14 straight Leadville 100s back-to-back. “A lot of the bottom sections of the rocks have a nice, roll-y out. So they look really steep but then the tranny grabs your front wheel and gets you out of the vertical position.”

We followed Quentin Morisette, owner of Over the Edge Sports in nearby Hurricane, as he weaved between puddles in the rock — and the brine shrimp they hold, making it a no-no to ride through them — and abided by the local code not to leave tracks in the dirt. He led us to a playground that he called the Skatepark: two deep, connected bowls that mimic the flow of a purpose-built concrete bowl. From there we swooped between stands of juniper, piñon and cedar trees, as well as the mesa’s namesake gooseberry bushes. After 15 minutes of wrestling our bikes up, down and over the sandstone landscape — a full-body workout that longtime local Bill Bergeron compares to “being stuck in a cage with a gorilla” — we came upon a 20-foot-tall biscuit that looked like a soft-serve ice-cream tower. It was steep and layered, with a small drop at the entry over significant exposure. Morisette hiked to the top for the second time in his life and prepared to drop in.

The line, my riding partners explained, was not to be confused with the Wall of Considerable Consequences, which we’d pass later, or the Wall of Death, which we’d skip. Morisette rolled in, landed the initial drop and rocketed out the bottom as the rest of us filmed it with our phones. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” shouted Weber, who served two tours in Iraq and left the military after a pair of traumatic brain injuries saddled him with PTSD. Now he coaches a local high school team and rarely sees someone test the sharp end, hence his incredulous response.

Morisette let out a sly grin. “I’ve been riding here for 23 years, and it just gets better,” he said. “When you’re on the rock, the sky’s the limit.”

As we continued toward Gooseberry’s high point, I realized why locals pay attention to their tires’ side knobs here: You need a lof of support to grip the off-camber sandstone. It helps that the trail is marked by white dots on the rock, too; otherwise it’s easy to wander off track.

We pedaled over a 4-foot-wide plank to the Point, an airy perch overlooking the valley and Zion. The trail only gains 300 vertical feet from the White Trailhead (elevation: 5,100 feet above sea level) to here, but the entire ride includes about 900 feet of gain. “It’s all 10 feet at a time,” Morisette quipped.

We ogled the old Rampage venue to the north, which includes the notorious King Kong descent, as well as Flying Monkey, a mesa across the valley where the government, legend has it, used to send furry primates down a rail propelled by a rocket at supersonic speeds to test military ejector seats.

Then we returned the way we came, back to the trailhead. Slightly under the weather, I collapsed in the gravelly shade, feeling like I’d ridden 20 miles if not more. Someone informed me it was actually less than 10. I sighed, chalked it up to the mesa effect and closed my eyes for a nap, while the others tipped back beers in the sun.

According to Washington County’s GIS department, the local mountain biking scene encompasses 296 miles of mapped trails to go with a gnarliness spectrum ranging from sublime cross-country favorites like Hurricane Rim, J.E.M. and Dead Ringer, to the five local mesas and their sandstone playgrounds, to big-boy gravity lines that attract the world’s best freeriders every October.

The area’s rise to prominence happened neither quickly nor due to a mass movement. On the contrary, it started in late 1993 when a pair of native sons took up the sport at age 49. Twin brothers Morgan and Mike Harris had grown up in Rockville, a tiny town on the Virgin River at the mouth of Zion Canyon, but because their father forbade them from riding dirt bikes, they didn’t start until they were 26. As Morgan tells it, they rode motos for 20 years, then performance ATVs for three, at which point they grew wary of the danger and turned to mountain bikes.

In the early days, Morgan rode a primitive bike with a shoddy fork. “Boy, I went home bloody a lot,” he chuckles. A few other locals were riding at the time, but they mainly stuck to the mellow Green Valley Loop. “There wasn’t any real anchor trail to draw people to the area,” Harris recalls.

He and Mike used to hunt deer, coyotes and rabbits on Gooseberry Mesa, and they often heard visitors talk about slickrock riding in Moab. They knew Gooseberry contained similar features and started poking around, starting with the slab that parallels the White Road. They built a short trail through one of the mesa’s mini-canyons, then found out they needed a permit. So they met with the BLM in 1994 to talk about expanding their work to the north and south rims and Hidden Canyon. “Originally they wanted 15 cents a foot, per year, for the use of the land,” Harris says. Then the agency softened its stance. “They said if you can have everything completed by Trail Days of 1996, we’ll do a trail dedication. We had it done, but it took them until ’98 to dedicate it.”

With Gooseberry complete, the Harris brothers turned their attention to Little Creek Mountain, which they’d been staring at for years from Gooseberry. They started exploring its slabs, ancient petroglyphs and fossils (there’s actually a dinosaur bone embedded in the sandstone in one spot) and potential trail corridors that didn’t require slaughtering flora. After a year-and-a-half of building there — with unofficial permission from a BLM official, Harris says — the agency changed its mind and asked them to stop. So they did, again shifting to where they thought the next destination could be. In this case it was a long redrock spine that would come to be known as Church Rocks.

Mike Harris quit riding after Little Creek, leaving Morgan to continue alone. Luckily others picked up the slack, and soon enough a growing community of riders had built Guacamole, which fostered its own mini-network on the mesa including The Whole Guacamole, Holy Guacamole and Salt on the Rim.

Harris left to build trails in Nevada after constructing Holy Guacamole, and now, at age 73, he just maintains existing routes. But the foundation he and Mike laid continues to anchor the network. If you ask 20 locals to name their favorite trail, like I did, you could get 15 different answers. The scene now includes a 100-mile race — True Grit, held every March in St. George — and a respected advocacy organization, the Dixie Mountain Bike Trails Association (DMBTA), which was launched in 2010 by True Grit founder Cimarron Chacon. (‘Dixie’ is a common moniker in Washington County because the early settlers grew cotton, which led to the area being known as ‘Utah’s Dixie.’)

DMBTA only counts about 75 official members, but more than 2,000 people follow the organization on social media, “and a lot of them come out to our volunteer days,” says club president Kevin Christopherson. Others hand him money on the trails, even if they’re not from the area. In addition, the Rampage organizers have donated about $14,000 to DMBTA each of the past two years.

The roots and robust support keep the area on the broader map, attracting riders from around the world — with a healthy dose of freeriders each spring, an influx that Morisette affectionately calls the Canadian Invasion. The key to providing such a reliable product when so many other destinations in the region cannot, he says, is the geography. Just north of Hurricane, Interstate 15 goes from 3,500 feet in elevation to above 5,000 and stays there, which places Zion on the northern edge of viable winter and early spring riding.

Although a lot of local rides, particularly the mesas, require driving a fair distance to park at a trailhead, not everywhere does. One of the guys we rode Gooseberry with, a diehard XC fanatic named Josh Wolfe, lives in St. George and doesn’t own a car. We bumped into him the next morning in the nondescript parking lot for Zen and Barrel Ride, just over a dirt mound from St. George’s subdivisions and commercial sprawl. We had just finished up an ambitious combo ride in a group of eight.

Wolfe was on his way out for a midday loop, and after our morning figure-eight on Zen and Barrel, I understood why he lives so close to these trails. Zen features the kind of ledgy, technical terrain that makes your forearms cramp. Kenny Jones called it a “rim-basher trail,” and halfway through our descent it delivered. Jake Miller, a Red Rock ambassador and standout local rider, buckled an $1,800 carbon wheel in two places without crashing. Despite its ride-from-home proximity to a city of 90,000, you still feel like you’re away from the hectic rush of civilization when you reach the top. Then the real fun begins. Both Riga, who lives in Vancouver and calls the North Shore home, and I deemed it our favorite trail of the week.

We continued on to the freeride-friendly Barrel from there, led by longtime St. George rider Bryce Pratt, who built it 15 years ago, and Mitchell Curwen, who recently refurbished it and added some features. “If you want to see what a bike can do, this is a great place to take it,” Curwen said as we pedaled up a wash toward the top. Pratt designed the trail to snake through a series of barrel cactuses, which look like stunted pony kegs with 3-inch-long thorns.

I followed a mother of three named Angie Anderson down the Waterfall, an aptly named chunky section that serves as Barrel’s crux, if you don’t count the jumps below. Some of those jumps dropped blindly off of giant boulders into perfectly sculpted transitions. Others were gaps, including one over a creek. Everything seemed to flow just as it should until we were back at the parking lot.

“Doing Zen and Barrel in the same day is a big day. They’re probably our two most technical trails in St. George City,” Curwen said. “If you can get out of here without a broken bike part or broken body part, that’s a win.”

Victorious, Riga and I returned to St. George later that afternoon to check out the Snake Hollow St. George Bike Park — the newest addition to the area’s stable of radness. Built on 80 acres of city-owned land through a collaboration between DMBTA, the Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance and the Washington County Tourism Office, the facility was funded by $1.6 million in tax dollars and was slated to open the month after our visit. But there were already dozens of kids testing it out after school. This winter, city workers and volunteers are planning to add a 5.5-mile NICA racecourse through the lava field on the lot’s southern end. According to county tourism director Kevin Lewis, it will be the only year-round bike park in Utah.

The most recent addition to Washington County’s singletrack menu arrived two years ago when DMBTA finished a 7-mile intermediate loop on Wire Mesa. In its first year of existence, trail counters recorded 16,000 visitors — or an average of 44 a day. It’s close to Gooseberry and Grafton mesas, so you’d expect it to see traffic, but the number still quantified the area’s growing renown. (In total, 178,000 people rode BLM trails around Washington County last year, including 30,000 on Gooseberry.)

The numbers are a far cry from when Morgan Harris broached the idea of a Gooseberry trail to the BLM 25 years ago. “At that first meeting, they said, ‘Being that remote, 7-and-a-half miles off the highway, you’re probably only going to see 36 riders a month, at most,’” Harris recalled. Within three years of Gooseberry’s trails being open, the local bike shop owners told Harris they’d seen a 60-percent increase in sales. Five years later, when Harris’ fork fell apart, Zion Cycles founder Fred Pagles gave him a new Trek Remedy and free service and parts for life. When Harris protested, Pagles said: “If you hadn’t done what you did, I wouldn’t have a business.”

There is still a touch of uncertainty about what will happen to unofficial trails on BLM land that have become wildly popular and mapped, like Little Creek and Dig It on Grafton Mesa. A long-in-the-works travel management plan is nearing completion, and locals are optimistic the BLM will bring them into the fold and declare them legal, since closing them would be more complicated and potentially hurt the area’s economic growth.

But whatever happens, the local scene is plenty healthy, as evidenced by a recent show of support for Harris after he was diagnosed with gum cancer. In mid-May, Harris underwent surgery to remove a tumor, and doctors removed his fibula from his lower right leg and used it to rebuild his jaw. Locals held a fundraiser to help cover his medical bills, bringing in nearly $25,000. Over the Edge built a new Ibis Mojo HD for Harris to ride into his 80s. At a post-ride barbecue in October, Harris said he still didn’t have the leg power to ride technical terrain, as much as he wanted to.

Instead, he had been maintaining trails he built a generation ago. “I get out there at daylight and get done before it gets too hot,” he said. “Me and the dog, Hazel.” His tools were hidden in the bushes as he spoke.

I asked Harris what he thinks of the community that he and his brother helped to create. “It amazes me what’s happened here,” he said. “When I was building trail, I never expected any payback. Payback was people having a smile on their face, loving what you built. I can’t believe this came out of us wanting to ride a trail on Gooseberry.”

RIDE: Although most trails are on MTB Project, for a more localized resource check out swutahtrails.com, a brand-new, one-stop tool for trail descriptions, photos and videos with downloadable maps and GPS navigation. Trails are sorted into geographical zones to showcase the various regions throughout the county.

STAY: You’ll find ample lodging options throughout the county via Google. We stayed at a rental house in Sand Hollow Resort, which suited our large group well and was convenient to both Hurricane and St. George. You can also check out Gooseberry Yurts for a more primitive, adventurous option — with four days’ worth of riding from your front door. The 20-foot-diameter yurts sleep five to seven adults and cost $150 a night.

EAT: Again, options abound, but you can’t go wrong with Lonny Boy’s BBQ in Hurricane, George’s Corner Restaurant in St. George and the Bit and Spur Restaurant and Saloon in Springdale. Affogato is a worthy coffee shop in St. George, while River Rock Roasting Co., in La Verkin, serves tasty food and everything from coffee to beer on the edge of a canyon carved by the Virgin River.

SHOP: Over the Edge Sports in Hurricane treated our team well, whether that meant providing TLC to the day’s testing steeds each evening, sharing local beta on where to ride or leading the way on hard-to-follow loops (OTE also runs a free shop ride every Saturday, which is a great way to see the area’s nooks and crannies). Red Rock Bicycle Co., Rapid Cycling and Bicycles Unlimited have everything you need in St. George.   

Written by Jenny Willden from RootsRated Media Utah Office of Tourism

From Classic Broadway Style Plays to Contemporary Art, Greater Zion Has it All

Broadway in the Desert: Tuacahn Center for the Arts

Art Enclave: Kayenta and Coyote Gulch Art Village

Art Events: Center for the Arts and Festivals

Classic & Contemporary Art: St. George Art Museum and Sears Art Museum Gallery

Outdoor Tunes: Concerts in the Park

Musical Theatre: Brigham’s Playhouse and St. George Musical Theater

Classic Sounds: Southwest Symphony Orchestra

Written by Melissa McGibbon from the Utah Office of Tourism

We May as Well Have Been on Mars

Far away from any semblance of civilization and surrounded by a seemingly endless horizon of dramatic desert landscape, we had the place to ourselves. Is there anything so liberating as escaping the masses to quietly commune with nature in a vast expanse of stunningly beautiful desolate terrain? Granted, it was a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of July with temperatures soaring into the triple digits, but still. We were there to take a tour of the legendary Gooseberry Mesa mountain biking trail system near Hurricane, Utah.

Let’s set our stage: Massive exposed shelves reveal 240 million years of erosion and a departed ocean that left shoreline deposits and formed the hardened Shinarump conglomerate, which formed the cap of Gooseberry Mesa. Rising further, the bygone forest left behind petrified wood, which can be found lying on the mesa surface. Wavy bands of red sandstone mold the Moenkopi Formation that experienced riders familiarly know as slickrock. Swirls of piñons and junipers pepper the trails, while California condors circle above. A cottontail rabbit darts across the path. We peer closely at the rock as we spin by to see the sunbathing lizards. Stop for a quiet rest, a deer might make an appearance. Mind the cacti. Crashing is even less fun if you land in the prickly Claret Cup Cactus.

Crashing? It’s possible. These trails are not for everyone, as most are considered intermediate to advanced level riding.

Far away from any semblance of civilization and surrounded by a seemingly endless horizon of dramatic desert landscape …

This is a first-rate, looping trail system that allows for a variety of course options. If you ride the entire Big Loop Trail counterclockwise, you’ll complete just over 13 miles of intermediate and advanced technical riding connecting both the North Rim and South Rim sections. Alternatively, you can choose your own adventure by riding a combination of the trails to customize your mileage and difficulty preferences. Although both the Point and Overlook vantage points are out-and-back trails, they are absolutely worth the extra effort.

The trails are marked fairly well and easy to follow in most places, but cairns can always be missed. Some of the routes are marked with white paint spots to designate the trail. However, because you can ride in either direction, it’s important to use your navigational skills because it’s too easy to get turned around and the trailscapes can start to look homogenous real quick if you get lost.

The summer’s mid-day heat made each pedal rotation a little more work, but the cache of Gooseberry Mesa is that it features roller coaster slickrock singletrack grandeur in lieu of lengthy ascents and descents, allowing riders to whistle while they work. The South Rim and Hidden Canyon loop is considered advanced technical and inspires a few come-to-Jesus moments along the way. Good thing it’s always an option to hop off your bike and walk the iffy sections that are close to the cliff side. The 1.8-mile North Rim is more suitable for intermediate riders and features short, steep climbs with no shortage of jaw-dropping vistas.

If you’re unsure of your ability, have a go at the moderate Practice Trail. It will give you a good idea of what’s in store. It’s also a great warm-up for the longer trails. Overall, no matter which trail you choose, Gooseberry Mesa is a classic trail that will reward you with epic views and darn good fun. Add it to your itinerary if you plan to ride in the area!

Written by Jenna Herzog at RootsRated Media

Here Are the Best Ways to Experience the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area

Tucked in the far southwestern corner of Utah, the expansive desert landscape of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area marks the zone where three ecosystems merge: the Mojave Desert, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau. Covering roughly 45,000 acres of public land with 130 miles of non-motorized trails, the preserve offers a rugged environment ripe for adventure. We’ve hand-picked some of the area’s best hikes, mountain bike trails, and one-of-a-kind outdoor experiences to create the ultimate guide for a weekend spent exploring the quiet beauty of Red Cliffs.

Must-Do Hikes

With so many miles of trail to explore, narrowing it down to the best hiking adventures in Red Cliffs proves no easy task. For a well-rounded look at the best this desert landscape has to offer, check out these must-do trails.

Babylon Arch Trail

Gaze out in any direction from this trail and you’ll see the impressive sandstone formations that typify southern Utah. Swirling layers of red and orange rock form narrow canyons and hollowed out chambers line the cliff walls. This 3-mile out-and-back route winds through sandstone gulches and up a few short, but sandy, hills on the way to the namesake Babylon Arch, shortly before the trail’s turn-around point at the Virgin River. Hiking through the sand and few trail markers along the way can make the path tough to follow, but the solitude and scenery are worth the effort.

Yellow Knolls Trail

Situated eight miles north of downtown St. George, this 4-mile out-and-back trail takes you into a world of slickrock dunes with a fascinating checkerboard pattern. The trek starts with relatively easy hiking in a meadow of sagebrush and desert grasses before the moderate uphill section takes you right through the Yellow Knolls for which the trail is named. For a longer excursion, connect the Yellow Knolls hike with the Winchester and Black Gulch trails for a strenuous, 6-mile loop.

Red Cliffs Nature Trail

Also known as the Red Reef Trail, this hike showcases many of the quintessential charms that draw visitors to southern Utah. Glorious red rock canyons complete with waterfalls and pools, a pristine creek lined with vibrant cottonwood trees, and caverns painted with ancient petroglyphs all combine to make this hike a classic. Suitable for all ages, this easy 2-mile trail starts at the Red Cliffs Campground about 15 miles northeast of St. George.

Mountain Biking Adventures

Whether on your own or as part of a guided excursion, mountain biking is the perfect way to explore the unparalleled beauty and solitude of Red Cliffs. St. George and several smaller towns in Washington County—like Springdale, Virgin, La Verkin and Hurricane—offer everything you need to set tire to dirt, from bike rentals to gear shops to qualified guides. Here are a couple of the best rides you’ll find in the conservation area.

Dino Cliffs and Church Rock Loop

If you’ve only got time for one trail here, go for this one. An excellent introduction to slickrock singletrack riding, this intermediate, 9.5-mile loop serves up incredible views of sandstone bluffs, snow-capped peaks on the horizon, and a few dinosaur tracks thrown in for good measure. For a longer ride, add on the easy to intermediate, 7-mile (one-way) Prospector Trail.

Broken Mesa Rim Trail

Strong riders comfortable with rocky climbs and descents will get their kicks on the 4.6-mile (one-way) Broken Mesa Rim Trail. Located 10 miles north of St. George in Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, this heart-pumping ride can be linked up with some dirt road and singletrack climbing for an adventurous 15.5-mile loop, known as the Broken Mesa Loop Trail.

Icehouse Trail

Also located in the quiet beauty of Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, this upper-intermediate ride features 6.8 miles of sustained downhill, descending nearly 2,000 feet. Technical terrain toward the end will challenge your skills on rock-strewn singletrack. Run a shuttle with two vehicles, or ride back up the dirt Cottonwood Road back to the trailhead for an 18-mile loop.

A Few Other Unique Outdoor Adventures

A trip to Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is the perfect opportunity to try new outdoor experiences in a remarkable desert setting. Unique adventures like soaring above Snow Canyon’s multi-colored peaks in a hot air balloon or navigating scenic backcountry roads on a guided Jeep tour are just a few examples of the opportunities available in Red Cliffs.

Rock climbing and canyoneering top the list of thrilling excursions in the area, with options to explore with local guides or to go out on your own (if you have the experience!). Snow Canyon State Park—which lies just northwest of St. George and is mostly encompassed within Red Cliffs National Conservation Area—features the highest concentration of established rock climbing routes in the region as well as several intriguing canyoneering spots.

When to Go

Like most of southern Utah, spring and fall are the best times of year to explore Red Cliffs. Pleasant temperatures and few rainy days make these seasons ideal for hiking, biking, camping and other outdoor adventures. Note that the rivers, waterfalls, and canyon pools are most vibrant in the spring before the warm temperatures of summer start to dry things up.

High temperatures during the peak of summer usually reach into the upper 90s or low 100s, while winter in St. George and the surrounding area stays relatively mild with average highs in the mid-50s.

Where to Stay in and Around St. George

The city of St. George, with a population just over 80,000, makes the ideal base camp for a weekend of exploring Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. From full-amenity resorts to cozy villas to secluded campgrounds, there’s a fitting place to lay your head for every type of adventurer.

When looking for a hotel in St. George, you’ll find most of the familiar names in hospitality, like Courtyard Marriott, Best Western, Holiday Inn, and Hilton. Additionally, St. George has several boutique resorts and hotels that offer a distinctly local feel with enviable vacation packages, such as The Advenire and Inn on the Cliff. Nearby Ivins, Utah, is home to Red Mountain Resort, another option for guests who seek luxury accommodations with spa and retreat packages in the area.

Condo and villa rentals around St. George strike a nice balance between indulgence and relaxed comfort for a weekend trip. Popular choices like Red Sands Vacation Properties, The Inn at Entrada, and Ledges Vacation Rentals make it easy to find your home away from home, southern Utah style.

In the heart of town, St. George RV Park and Campground is an ideal option for those who appreciate the convenience of a central location while still enjoying their evenings of chilling and grilling out beneath the trees. Sixteen miles northeast of St. George, the Red Cliffs Campground offers a small, simple place for tents or RVs set amongst impressive sandstone canyons and the peaceful Quail Creek. Campers who call this place home for the weekend will enjoy easy access to some of the area’s main attractions, including Red Cliffs Nature Trail, the Dinosaur Tracks hiking area, and the Red Cliffs Anasazi Site.

No matter where you stay, you’re just minutes away from some of the most beautiful country in southern Utah. It won’t take long to see why the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is one of the state’s real gems.

If you’re training for an endurance event, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time planning for every contingency: what you’ll wear, what you’ll eat, how long each leg of your race will take, and so forth. All those things are important, but when you’re competing in an endurance event in the high desert—whether it’s the True Grit Epic, the St. George Marathon, a half-IRONMAN, or a challenge of your own design—you’ve got a few added elements to consider.

Racing in the desert is incredibly rewarding, in part because the environment is so unlike any other. But this landscape comes with its own set of possibilities for which to prepare. The climate is, of course, hotter and drier, and weather changes quickly. Navigation can be challenging, and there’s the unpleasant feeling of sand in your shoes to contend with. If you’re considering signing on for an endurance event in St. George, plan ahead for these desert-specific concerns.

Hydrate Early and Often

Conventional wisdom has it that if you’re exerting yourself in the desert in the more moderate temperatures of spring and fall, you’ll need to consume three to five quarts of water per day. That’s if you’re hiking or backpacking—if you’re running a marathon or otherwise pushing your body to its limits, you’ll need more water.

“One element that often gets overlooked in the desert is the wind,” says Tiffany Gust of Utah-based TG Triathlon and Fitness Coaching. Gust holds a master’s degree in Applied Exercise Science/Sports Nutrition. “Gusting up to 30-plus miles per hour isn’t uncommon during the spring and summer months.”

That’s part of the reason you’ll need to carry more water than you might think. Consider using a bladder and hose, which make it easier to drink frequently than stopping to pull out a water bottle.

Most organized endurance events have aid stations where you can refill and refuel, but don’t count on those to be the only time you’re eating and drinking. Arrive a few days before your event to give your body time to acclimate to the dry climate, and spend those days drinking enough fluids so you’re hydrated well in advance (no need to overdo it, however, as you can go too far with this strategy where it actually hurts you). On race day, carry enough water to get you from one aid station to the next without bonking.

Be Sun-Savvy

When you spend as much time outside as it takes to train for a long-distance or multi-day event, it’s more important than ever to take care of your skin. Even a short day out without high-enough SPF can have brutal consequences, and that phenomenon only increases in the desert, where the sun will likely be beating down on you all day with little shade for cover.

For an 8-plus-hour day in the desert, sunscreen alone simply won’t cut it. You should reapply often, especially vulnerable areas like your face, the back of your neck, and your hands as often as is feasible (at every aid station, if you can) and use SPF-50 or greater.

You should also cover as much of your skin as possible, says Gust. “UPF clothing and sunscreen is a must when dealing with the heat in the desert,” she explains, adding that “arm sleeves that can be dipped in cool water can be very beneficial.” A hat with a wide brim will keep your eyes and face from bearing the brunt of harmful UV rays.

Expect Unexpected Weather

Weather in the desert often changes quickly and without much prior warning, and it doesn’t help matters that you’re unlikely to find anywhere safe to take shelter in the event of a storm. With that in mind, check the weather forecast carefully not only for possible storm events in the immediate vicinity, but also in the area surrounding your destination, since a storm upstream can easily cause flash flooding miles downstream. Always avoid camping in washes, and if you’ll be traveling in narrow canyons or washes are unavoidable, plan your escape route well in advance.

Learn to Deal with Sand

It won’t take much time in the desert to discover one of its universal truths: Sand gets in everything. It finds its way through the mesh in your shoes, under your hat, into your teeth. Some of this is preventable, like using running gaiters to prevent tons of sand from seeping into your shoes, wearing shoes with more Gore-tex material and less mesh, and choosing sunglasses that wrap around your face rather than leaving the sides open to blowing sand.

But some blowing sand is simply a reality of desert travel. There’s not much to do in terms of preventing it from happening, but you can head in prepared by mimicking conditions during training as much as possible. That goes for training in the heat, too, says Gust. “Athletes enjoy training early in the morning to escape the excessive heat,” she says. “But if they plan on racing in the heat, some of their training needs to be in the heat—so they’ll be able to tolerate it, both physically and mentally.”

Yes, an endurance event in the desert adds another layer of complexity. But that’s also what makes the challenge fun. With a little preparation, that medal hanging around your neck at the finish line will feel all the sweeter.

Written by Emma Walker from RootsRated Media

Competing in the Land of Endurance

1. Hurricane Mud Run

2. IRONMAN 70.3 St. George

3. Vision Relay: Moab to St. George

4. Tour de St. George

5. Salt to Saint Relay

6. 25 Hours in Frog Hollow

7. St. George Marathon

8. True Grit Epic Mountain Bike Race

Where to Stay

Written by Amy Whitley from RootsRated Media

Family Friendly Adventures in Greater Zion

Best known as a gateway city to Zion National Park, St. George in southwestern Utah is a year-round playground for outdoor enthusiasts. With its red rock canyons, sandy rolling landscapes, and the Virgin River just awaiting your next adventure, St. George is a great place to try out a new sport. There are also plenty of cultural and indoor entertainment options to keep you busy when the occasional thunderstorm rolls through. Here are five things to try on your next family vacation here—or at least your first one, as you’ll never get to all of this in one trip!

1. Hike in Washington County

Zion National Park is right there for the taking, and it’s definitely one of the country’s top hiking destinations, but the park gets crowded. Very crowded. Like so many aspects of travel and outdoor adventure, with just a little outside-the-box thinking, you can easily find a workaround. While hiking in and around St. George, you can get a similar experience to Zion without the crowds. Instead of the national park, consider one of the following:

Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

In this preserve, try the Babylon Arch Trail, where the sandy, open terrain transports you to another planet. It’s only a mile and some change, but as long as you time your hike to avoid the peak heat of the day, it’s very manageable for all but the youngest members of the family. Elephant Arch offers a longer, sandier hike of almost four miles. If the kids want to dabble in a little of Southern Utah’s famed canyoneering on a path that’s still just over a mile long, head to the Red Reef Trail, where they can do some scrambling as you hike. If you want to make a day of it and really get your hike on, the Red Reef Trail is part of the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness System (allowing you to do an almost six-mile loop).

Snow Canyon State Park

One of the most intriguing hikes in Snow Canyon is the Pioneer Names Trail, where, yes, you can observe the names etched into the rock by early Mormon pioneers. (If graffiti is old enough, it becomes historic. But don’t add your own.) The north trailhead to the site provides the closest access, but it’s a short trail either way. You can also hike to the petrified dunes in Snow Canyon, which is located in the center of the park, offering amazing views of the cliffs.

Eagle Crags

If you want a taste of Zion National Park without the crowds, Eagle Crags is your go-to destination. (Note that you’ll need a vehicle with good clearance to get to the trailhead near Rockville.) At Eagle Crags, you not only get the panoramic views Zion delivers, but the variety of landscapes, too, as the trail ascends from desert to juniper groves to the top the canyon.

Pioneer Park

If you’d prefer to stay closer to town where you can easily haul your picnic and gear, head to Pioneer Park, sitting directly above St. George. Climbers love the place, but the hiking is easily accessible, too, with the added bonus of BBQ pits, picnic tables, bathrooms and a shade pavilion.

2. Go Cycling and Mountain Biking

Greater Zion has more than 60 miles of bike paths and literally hundreds of miles of off-road singletrack and slickrock trails. Beginner mountain bikers should head to Barrel Roll, which is as fun as it sounds. Located in the Santa Clara River Reserve, Barrel Roll delivers views and twists and turns without being too steep to handle. From there, advance to the Wire Mesa Trail, located just outside Zion. This singletrack is more mountainous (with a bit of shade as a bonus) and offers incredible views.

If your crew is filled with experts, you have a slew of picks. The most epic is undoubtedly Nephi’s Twist at Hurricane Cliffs, a steep, technical track that will test any serious rider. And don’t forget about the state parks for mountain biking bliss: Snow Canyon State Park is a good option (just double check to see on which trails mountain biking is permitted).

3. See World-Class Museums

Whether you have kids who are nuts for dinosaurs or are interested in paleontology and the natural world, the early Jurassic dinosaur tracks at St. George’s Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm will impress every member of the family. Walk where dinos have walked at the museum in St. George, then pair the experience with the Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum nearby. The somewhat eclectic collection here showcases more than 300 animal species from habitats as near as Southern Utah and as far as the African Savanna.

If you have kids in tow, the St. George Children’s Museum is your next stop, where they’ll have the run of 12 rooms of hands-on exhibits to lose themselves in imaginative play. Save this gem for a hot day or an afternoon activity after a morning hike or bike ride.

4. Enjoy the Water

It may come as a surprise, but there is actually plenty of water in Southern Utah! The Virgin River cuts through the red rock landscape, providing the perfect way to cool off. Yes, the river gets crowded with tourists tubing in Springdale and the Narrows draws a crowd in Zion each summer (for good reason—it’s epic) but to escape the masses, head to Falls Park, also known to the locals as Sheep Bridge. You’ll get a mile of riverfront property for your day, complete with sandy beaches and perfect jump-off rocks (always be sure to check depth before jumping). Families can find shallow pools for kids, and the more daring can find rapids to ride.

Want more space to yourself? Hop in an SUV and bump your way along a dirt road to Toquerville Falls, where an easy hike lands you at the base of a desert oasis. You’ll want your camera ready for these cascading falls over the rock, but make sure you enjoy a dip, too.

5. Head Indoors

Southern Utah can get hot and sometimes, you’ll want to escape indoors. When you do, can keep your active vacation going at The Grip, the indoor gym operated by three past American Ninja Warrior contestants. Come for a class, or just pay for a few hours of open gym. (You know you want to try your hand at the salmon ladder and the warped wall!)

Not up for such a physical challenge? Head to Fiesta Fun, the family fun center that offers every game you could want, plus laser tag, mini golf, go karts and the like.

Whether you have young kids or adventurous teenagers, you’ll have no problem finding plenty of ways to enjoy a getaway to Greater Zion. Exploring this unique part of the country with the family will provide memories to last a lifetime.

Whether you’re a seasoned adrenaline junkie or enjoying a newfound appreciation for the great outdoors, you’re sure to find a memorable adventure in Greater Zion. Its northeast neighbor and namesake, Zion National Park, is a beloved destination for adventurers of all kinds – but there are plenty of other equally epic draws among the collection of communities that thrive within a close radius of Zion. 

From St. George to Pine Valley, Santa Clara to Springdale, there is adventure in every direction. There are rock walls begging to be climbed, singletracks begging for a mountain bike, and iconic red vistas surrounding you on any and every pursuit you take on. 

Here are seven adrenaline-inducing adventures that will get your heart pumping in Greater Zion.

1. Mountain Biking on Gooseberry Mesa

Move over, Moab – the mountain biking trails of Gooseberry Mesa more than hold their own with everything from rip-roaring singletrack to adventurous slickrock to flowy stretches alongside pine and juniper trees. Plenty of technically challenging terrain keeps MTB veterans stoked, while a spot locals refer to as “God’s Skateboard Park” offers a divine place to hone your trick skills. The entire trail is situated under an open, sunny sky with expansive views of Zion National Park’s stunning red and white cliffs.

2. Skydiving

Imagine jumping out of a plane, flying through the air at 120 miles per hour, rolling, turning, and flipping as you please. The brilliant red landscape of Zion National Park and desert communities of St. George, Hurricane, and more wait for you below. You yank the parachute ripcord and begin to float, swaying in the breeze, feeling the warmth of the Utah sun, and admiring the creation that is Greater Zion. Just ask anyone who has jumped: Skydiving in Greater Zion is an out-of-this-world experience that will stick with you for life. When you combine that adrenaline rush with the reverent beauty of the desert, it’s hard to forget.

3. ATVing in Sand Hollow State Park

Cruise over sand dunes and down into valleys at one of several state parks in Greater Zion: Sand Hollow. Ranked among Utah’s best ATV playgrounds, you can ride as fast or slow as you like, enjoying technical challenges or the simple thrill of zooming through the desert. Take off during late afternoon or evening for a sunset adventure, and prepare to be awed by the sky lit up with the same brilliant red and pink hues as the desert rocks. This is the kind of experience you can share with the whole family without missing out on any of the thrill.

4. Ziplining Green Valley Gap

Views of Greater Zion’s desert scenery are elevated to new heights (literally) while soaring along one of the longest zip lines in Utah. Green Valley Gap offers a thrilling ride some 800 feet long, zipping from one canyon wall to another. After a quick hike for some elevation gain, your guides will strap you in and send you across the valley – but the fun doesn’t end there. Ziplining pairs nicely with other adventures like hiking, climbing, rappelling, ATVing, etc. depending on the itinerary you choose. 

5. Rock Climbing

If you take a close look at almost any rocky formation in Greater Zion, you’ll likely spot a climber. Greater Zion is filled with world-class climbing spots, and why just admire the scenery when you can be part of the picture? Rock climbing offers a workout and an unforgettable adventure all rolled into one, with breathtaking views for the entirety of your journey and a new, climber-exclusive viewpoint waiting for you at the summit. The wide variety of climbing terrain in Greater Zion makes for plenty of options for all skill levels, and newbies can sign up for a guided course to learn the basics of gear, belaying, proper safety measures, and climbing techniques. After that, you can head out to start sending some pitches of your own.

6. Canyoneering

Beneath the sand and sun of Greater Zion’s deserts, more adventure awaits in the network of canyons that expand both within and far beyond Zion National Park. Explore this sandstone labyrinth that extends above and below ground, with narrow slot canyons and vast gorges. Wade through water, rappel down into caves, or scale rock walls to find out what awaits around the next twist of the smooth red-and-orange canyon walls. Some canyons are accessible via simple but spectacular hiking trails; other, more challenging options require advanced wilderness techniques, permits, and a guide. There are several outfitters that offer guiding services and teach the basics of canyoneering.

7. Rappel Down Cougar Cliffs

This adventure is a two-fer: Hike to the top of the red rocks of the Cougar Cliffs, then ratchet up and rappel down the cliff face instead of going back the way you came. Cougar Cliffs is a great place to learn the art of rappelling, with a few low-angle options, as well as some vertical, not-for-the-faint-of-heart, 75-foot-long rappels. 

It takes a bit of courage to take that first step backwards off of a steep cliff, but the thrill and the views are totally worth it. How many people can say that they have taken in the expansive views of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve while practically hanging upside down? Go with a guide service to learn all about anchors, how to set up a rappel, and how to try a few rappels on your own. Adrenaline is built into Greater Zion, just like it’s built into you. Explore the thrills and everything else this corner of Utah has to offer here.

Written by Stewart Green at RootsRated Media

Getting Out of the Heat is Easy in Greater Zion

1. Swimming Holes and Waterfalls

2. Stand-up Paddleboarding

3. Quail Creek State Park

4. Sand Hollow State Park

5. Gunlock State Park

6. Kolob Reservoir

7. Slot Canyon Adventures

The airplane bucked quite a bit with about 10 minutes of flight time remaining. The second of two flights that day, the first of which started in Philadelphia, saw me in the aisle seat of a tiny CRJ200 aircraft during a short hop from Phoenix, Arizona to St. George, Utah when the plane suddenly began to hit some moderate turbulence. I was somewhere in between sleeping, but not really sleeping when this happened, and opened an eye to check the reactions of those around me.

Many people were out cold, with their necks craned back and their mouths wide open, while others seemed intent on finishing their books, and still others were content with whatever was being transmitted to their brain through some oversized, noise canceling headphones. I noticed that a handful of people seemed to have their faces pressed up against the windows, and as I craned my head around the nice lady seated to my left by our row’s window to have a look for myself, it became immediately clear what had a few of the passengers excited: we were flying directly over the heart of the Grand Canyon. I have been to the Grand Canyon once in my life, and it was as humbling an experience as I can remember; standing on the rim’s edge will remind you of your place in this world in ways not much else can. I’ve flown over it quite a few times as well, but never flown over it at such a low altitude. The updrafts from the canyon and surrounding mountains might have jostled the plane a bit, but they reminded me that I was about to spend a week in a landscape unlike any elsewhere on the planet.