Campgrounds in St. George Utah

One of the best ways to experience all of the magnificent scenery and activities that southern Utah has to offer is to stay at one of the campgrounds in St George Utah. Located near some of Utah’s most spectacular scenery, national and state parks, gorgeous hiking trails, and the artistic and cultural offerings of the historic city of St. George, Temple View RV is a great place to camp while visiting Southern Utah. This article will tell you about the amenities that Temple View RV offers, describe the area’s many attractions, and give you some ideas about what to bring for your camping trip to southern Utah.

Why should you camp at Temple View RV?

Located in sunny St. George, off the I-15 and 90 minutes north of Las Vegas, Temple View offers RV and camping sites for visitors to southern Utah. This is a great choice if you are looking for an urban experience in close proximity to national and state parks. The 260 plus spacious and sunny lots each include a concrete patio, parking for two vehicles, and full hook-ups. 50 of the sites are pull-thrus, meaning you can pull your rig through instead of backing in. All of the sites have wireless internet, and select sites offer cable TV and phone hook-ups. There is an area for tent camping, and the lots accommodate RVs up to 45 feet long.

Temple View RV is conveniently located in the center of the town of St. George. Across the street are a grocery store, restaurants, shops, a hardware store, and movie theater, and it is not far from Zion National Park, state parks, and hiking trails. Here, you will find friendly people, great weather, assorted activities, and spectacular scenery. You will also find everything you might need in terms of amenities including:

  • Year round heated pool and hot tub

  • Clubhouse

  • Bathrooms and showers

  • Laundry facilities

  • Putting green

  • Billiard tables

  • Exercise room

Close proximity to Zion National Park state parks, hiking trails

By camping at Temple View RV, Zion National Park will be within a short drive. Utah’s first national park, Zion National Park is known for its canyons and streams and world-class outdoor recreation. Located near the Arizona border, Zion National Park’s year-round warm weather, golf courses, hikes for all levels, and stunning red and white sandstone cliffs attract over 3 million visitors a year. At the mouth of the park is Springdale, where you will find assorted restaurants and lodging.

Snow Canyon State Park, located just 20 minutes from St. George, offers 38 miles of hiking trails where you can explore petrified sand dunes, cinder cones, scenic lava, and red sandstone cliffs. This park is a great for hiking, rock climbing, road biking, horseback riding, and camping.

One of the most visited state parks in Utah, Sand Hollow State Park is a 20,000-acre park with 15,000 acres of sand dunes and a 1322-acre reservoir located on Sand Mountain near the town of Hurricane. Its beautiful red rock surroundings, warm water, sandy beaches, sand dunes, water sports, ATV trails, biking, camping, horseback riding, and fishing attract many visitors.

Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is another nearby landmark in the area. This 44,724-acre national conservation area, located on the northeastern edge of Mojave Desert, offers hiking and opportunities to see tortoise and desert landscapes. Virgin River, a 162-mile long tributary of the Colorado and Utah’s first wild and scenic river, is a great place to hike and for viewing the changing colors of autumn.

You should also be sure to fit in a visit Pioneer Park. This 52-acre park features Dixie Rock, also known as “the sugarloaf.” From here, you can enjoy views of city and surrounding area while you hike and climb. Top the day off with a BBQ in a covered pavilion.

Native American petroglyphs, or carved images on rocks, are prevalent in southern Utah. At Petroglyph Park, Anasazi Valley Petroglyphs, and several other locations, you can see these fascinating images that tell the stories of the Ancestral Puebloen and Anaszi tribes.

A bit further away, but still within a 2.5-hour drive from St. George, is Bryce Canyon National Park, known for phenomenal views and hikes and for hoodoos, or spire shaped rock formations. Grand Canyon is about a 3 to 4.5 hour drive from St. George, depending on the rim. The south rim is accessible year round, but the north rim is closed for winter. At the north rim, you will find Cedar Breaks National Monument, which sits at over 10,000 feet looking down into a half-mile deep geologic amphitheater.

Experiencing Grand Canyon’s 18 mile wide, 277 mile long, and mile deep canyon is well worth the trip. Hiking, backpacking, mule riding, and river rafting are some of the ways you can explore this natural wonder. Some other places to check out include:

  • Red cliffs recreation area
  • Pine valley Mountains
  • Brian head resort

Benefits of location in the center of town

By camping at Temple View RV, you will not only be near to national and state parks, but you will also be in the center of the town of St. George. Located in the southwest corner of Utah, this town has something for everyone.

St. George is a center for arts and culture, offering a wide array of museums, art festivals, and live entertainment. At the Tuachahn Center for the Arts, an outdoor amphitheater with a stunning red rock canyon in the background, you can see professional Broadway theater and concerts. St. George holds an art festival featuring the work of top regional artists on Easter Weekend. The St. George Art Museum, located in the historic district in an old barn building, features exhibits of different cultures and time periods and showcases local and regional artists.

History

For history buffs, the city offers many historic sights and buildings. The Pioneer Courthouse, completed in 1876, was used at the time as a jailhouse, a courtroom, and a schoolroom. On a tour of the courthouse, you will see original paintings of Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, chandeliers, and a security vault, and learn about the building’s history and construction.

Brigham Young Winter home was built in the late 1800s for Brigham Young, the leader of the LDS movement. It is where he spent his last winters before passing away in 1877. You can take a guided tour of this historic home and living museum.

St. George Tabernacle is a religious and historic sight that played an important role in the settlement of the west. Dating back to the 1870s, St. George Temple is a gorgeous towering white structure, the church’s third temple and the first in Utah following the migration west after the death of Joseph Smith. You can learn the story of the Mormon Church at the visitor’s center, walk the temple grounds and admire the Gothic architectural details, or take a guided tour of pioneer residences.

Desert Garden

Another place to see in St. George is the Red Hills Desert Garden, Utah’s first desert garden. With 5000 desert plants, 200-million-year old prehistoric footprints, and a 1150-foot stream full of many different species of native fish, this garden offers visitors a unique desert experience.

With 1000 petrified dinosaur tracks and fossilized remains, St. George Dinosaur Discovery site at Johnson Farm is another place to experience prehistory. Built over a preserved prehistoric lakebed, this destination is a great place for families to learn about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.

Other attractions for families with children are St. George Children’s museum and Town Square Park. The children’s museum features interactive rooms and exhibits where kids can learn about science, music, and art, and the park includes water attractions, picnic tables, and a carousel.

For sports enthusiasts, St. George offers nine golf courses, rodeos, marathons, and senior “Olympic style” competitions. Tennis, hiking, mountain biking, ATV and horse riding, and jeep tours are also available.

If you love to shop, you will want to include a visit to the Zion factory stores, with its over 30 outlet stores including Eddie Bauer, Van Heusen, IZOD, and Polo Ralph Lauren, or the Red Cliff Mall.

Other nearby cities to visit

Just 50 miles to the north is Cedar City, the largest city in iron county Utah. Cedar City is charming and compact and hosts the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Neil Simon Theatre Festival, and the Utah Summer Games.

Kanab, Utah, the county seat of Kane County, is located just north of the Arizona state line. Founded by LDS families in 1870, this city is known for its western landscapes and as a gateway to the Grand Canyon and to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park located 15 miles to the west.

Also nearby is Mesquite, Nevada. Located in Clark County 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas on the Arizona state line, Mesquite offers golf courses, clubs, and warm weather year round in a desert setting.

Kayenta, a 2000-acre planned community in southern Utah’s red rock community, is worth a visit. Located 7 miles west of St. George, Kayenta is focused on conservation, sustainable growth, and appreciation for nature. It is a beautiful and peaceful area where the houses are built to blend in with the desert landscape.

About 15 miles northeast of St. George is the ghost town of Silver Reef. A mining town from the late 1800s, it is now a Wild West Ghost Town. Registered on the National and Utah State Registers of Historic Buildings, the museum offers guided tours, mine exhibit tours, and Powder House and Ghost Town walking tours.

Tips for what to bring when camping

If you are planning your first camping trip in southern Utah, you might be wondering how to pack for the desert climate. What you will need depends on whether you are planning to camp in a tent or an RV, what activities you choose, and the time of year. Whatever your plans, here are some tips to get you started.

The weather in the southwest desert is hot and dry. It rains rarely, but when it does the weather can cool down rather abruptly. For these reasons, you should be sure to bring layered clothing that will protect you from the sun and footwear that is sturdy and waterproof. Temperatures fluctuate so bring light and warm layers and a winter hat for the cool evenings and nights.

Sturdy walking shoes are a must, and waterproof hiking boots are essential if you plan to go hiking and rafting. These will help to protect your feet from cactus needles, rocks, and snakebites.

A wide-brimmed sun hat, sunglasses with polarized lenses and straps, and sunscreen will help to protect you from the intense Utah sun. A rain jacket for those desert rainfalls will help keep you dry and warm.

The risk of dehydration is high when you are in the desert. In order to stay hydrated, you should bring a large water jug, water bottles, and/or a hydration system. Refill your containers whenever you have the chance, and be sure to drink .5 to 1 liter per hour of hiking. Here is a list of some other items that should be on your packing list.

  • Blacklight flashlight to see scorpions

  • Star chart or app to identify star formations

  • Insect repellant

  • Daypack

  • Headlamp

  • Camping stove

  • Campfire grill

  • Lanterns

  • Maps

  • GPS or compass

  • Camera

  • Extra batteries

Final thoughts

A visit to southern Utah is sure to be an exciting and rewarding experience. With incredible desert views, national and state parks, historic and prehistoric sites, and cultural and artistic offerings, you will find something for everyone in the family. If you are looking for campgrounds in St George Utah, Temple View RV is an ideal location to experience all that this unique area has to offer.