Southwest Utah: Snow Canyon, Kolob and Cedar Breaks to Bryce

Route description

St. George sits at the warm southern tip of Utah, a good winter and spring base with full services. Drive north on Utah 18 to Snow Canyon State Park, where short trails cross petrified sand dunes and old lava flows. The park campground has hookups and fills early in spring. From the park, take Utah 18 back down and I-15 north for about 60 km to exit 40 and the Kolob Canyons entrance of Zion.

The Kolob Canyons road climbs 8 km past red finger canyons to a viewpoint and the start of the Timber Creek Overlook trail. A Zion park pass is needed, but there are no crowds or shuttles here. Continue north on I-15 to Cedar City, known for its summer Shakespeare festival and for its historic Frontier Homestead museum. This is your last big shopping stop before the mountains.

Take Utah 14 east up Cedar Canyon, then Utah 148 north to Cedar Breaks, about 40 km from Cedar City. At over 3,000 m, the monument’s rim road usually opens in late May and closes with the first heavy snow, and Point Supreme Campground is open in summer only. Utah 143, the Patchwork Parkway, then descends past Panguitch Lake and old lava fields to Panguitch, with brick pioneer houses and fuel.

From Panguitch, go south on US-89 and turn east on Scenic Byway 12. The road passes through Red Canyon, where short trails and a paved bike path start by the visitor center, and two rock tunnels are just tall enough for most RVs, at about 13 ft. Bryce Canyon City is about 15 km further, at the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. From there you can continue on Byway 12 toward Escalante.