Located in the southwest corner of Utah,

Brimming with pioneer history, St. George is home to many landmarks built by early settlers, including the Jacob Hamblin Home, the St. George Tabernacle, the Brigham Young Winter Home and the St. George LDS Temple. St. George is home to Dixie State College, a two-year college that is a major contributor to the city’s cultural scene with theatre events, conferences and seminars. Other cultural offerings include the Southwest Symphony, the St. George Musical Theater and numerous top-notch annual events, including the St. George Arts Festival every Easter Weekend, the St. George Marathon and the Huntsman World Senior Games in October. St. George also boasts excellent shopping options, including the Zion Factory Stores, home to over 30 factory outlets that offer merchandise at bargain prices, including Van Heusen, Rue 21, Dress Barn, IZOD and Eddie Bauer.

Itinerary: While in St. George, visit historic pioneer buildings such as the majestic St. George Temple and Tabernacle, the Brigham Young Home, the Opera House, and other beautifully restored buildings; attend the Southwest Symphony, the Celebrity Concert Series, the Rotary Bowl and other sports events, festivals, concerts, and tours at Dixie College; have some family fun with miniature golf, bumper boats, go-carts, driving ranges, batting cages, arcades, swimming, and biking; shop at The Red Cliffs Mall, Zion Factory Stores, The Promenade, the St. George Commercial Center, and at a number of shops, boutiques, galleries, and stores in St. George’s Downtown Historic District; or golf on St. George’s excellent golf courses year-round.

A showcase of towering rock monoliths, high, narrow canyons and forested plateaus, Zion National Park is southwestern Utah’s top tourist attraction. Designated a national park in 1919, Zion is Utah’s oldest and most visited national park. Within its 229 square miles, visitors view the results of millions of years of erosion caused mainly by the Virgin River and its tributaries. The most popular spot in the park is Zion Canyon, a deep gorge whose walls rise up to 3,000 feet above the canyon floor. The canyon is home to many of the park’s most famous rock formations, including Angels Landing, the Court of the Patriarchs, The Great White Throne, and the Watchman, which sits near the southern entrance of the park. In addition to its sandstone, Zion is home to great ecological diversity – everything from lush hanging gardens to dry desert landscapes. The park is home to over 900 species of plants, 271 species of birds, and 75 species of mammals. The park’s elevation ranges from 4,000 to 8,700 feet.

Zion’s most famous hike is the Zion Narrows, a grueling 16-mile journey that requires hikers to walk in the river’s slippery boulders and swift current more than half the time. The difficult trip is worth it. The hike passes through spectacular the whole way. The hike is a showcase of narrow canyon walls, some of which are only 15 feet apart in places. In the northwest corner of the park stands Kolob Arch, one of the world’s largest natural arches, reached via a 14-mile round trip hike. For the less adventurous, Zion Canyon is full of short, easy paths, including Weeping Rock, which leads to a rock overhang that features a year-round drizzle of water due to constant seepage through the porous sandstone. Other favorite hikes in the Canyon are the Riverside Walk, a paved, handicap accessible path paralleling the Virgin River, and Emerald Pools, a showcase of waterfalls and crystal-clear, green-tinted ponds.

Itinerary: From Temple View RV Resort, get on northbound I-15 from the Bluff Street interchange. Travel 9 miles to the Hurricane exit (exit 16) and travel on UT 9 through Hurricane until LaVerkin, where you will turn right (east) toward Zion at the second stoplight, continuing on UT 9. After turning, drive through the towns of Virgin, Rockville and Springdale to the entrance of Zion National Park at the north end of Springdale. You might want to catch the IMAX film at Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theater, or watch entertainment or multi-media presentations at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater on summer evenings. When you approach the park entrance, pay the $25 per vehicle entrance fee, purchase an annual park pass ($80), or show a previously purchased pass. Park at the visitor center (or if full park in Springdale), then board the Zion Canyon Shuttle. From April through October, the shuttle system is the only way visitors can access the 6.5-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which stops at trailheads and points of interest along the route. RVs wishing to pass through the Zion-Mt. Caramel Tunnel on the east side of the park must pay a $15 escort fee. While in the park, you can enjoy one of Zion Canyon’s scenic trails, go on a guided horseback tour, view the exhibits at the Zion Human History Museum, and much more.