Fall is right around the corner for Southern Utah. If you’re outdoorsy like us, you’ll want to get out and enjoy the fall colors starting to burst into their last brilliance. Here is a list of 7 hikes that are bound to be amazing this season.
Kolob
Kolob Canyon is a lesser known hiking spot located in New Harmony, Utah. Much like any other state/national park, there is a fee to enter and I would suggest registering at the desk because some of the trails are quite long. If you skip all the trails at the bottom and drive to the top of the visitors area, there is a short one mile hike where you can see the entire valley south of Kolob. It's a spectacular summer hike, but the fall colors make it even better.
Zion
If you've looked into hiking in Utah, you've no doubt heard of Zion. It's a massive national park that boasts great views, waterfalls, streams, slot canyons, and adrenaline hikes. We've gone several times in the fall and are never disappointed. You may have to search a little to find the best fall colors but you'll enjoy it! Entrance is based on fee and there are complimentary shuttles most of the year to avoid heavy traffic, so plan accordingly.
Pro tip: go in late September to see early fall colors and avoid the crowds.
The “C”
The "C" is a trail located in tiny little Cedar City (about 45 minutes north of St. George, Utah) and is a fairly strenuous hike. That being said, the view and the colors make this hike one of our top recommendations. The trail is roughly 4 1/2 miles each way, with some steep switch backs and heavily rocky areas. Once you get to the top you can see several of the smaller surrounding cities including Cedar. The "C" itself is a bunch of whitewashed rocks that can be seen for miles around. There is no fee for this trail and you can either drive up to the top and hike down, or find the trail at the base of the mountain and hike up. We recently hiked this trail from bottom to top on a cool, rainy day.
Brian Head
Brian Head is a village town/resort for the local ski and snowboard diehards. It's very quaint in the summer and fall before the town settles in for winter and there are many places to hike. You can often find snow here even in the middle of summer as it has the highest altitude around. Brian Head is a short drive through Cedar City or Parowan, depending on your route. You can hike directly in Brian Head or if you travel a little farther you'll find even more to explore. We went on a hike there last week and it seems the colors are at their peak. Brian Head hiking is free and has some delicious places to eat if you're there all day.
Pro Tip: Go now and you'll be surrounded by wonderful fall colors. Could also be a great spot for fall family pictures.
Navajo Lake/Duck Creek
Navajo Lake is just before the little Duck Creek Village. The area itself is largely unmarked and mostly wild so you can hike about anywhere "up in the mountains" and see some fall. We went to Navajo Lake a month ago and caught the entrance of fall. Because it is so far into the mountains, the temperature is about 20 or 30 degrees cooler than Cedar City, which is at the bottom, but the trails are less traveled here and completely worth it. Hiking here is free, and if you feel up to browsing Duck Creek, you won't be disappointed stopping for some food at Aunt Sue's Chalet.
Yankee Meadow
Yankee Meadow is through Parowan Canyon and a premier camping spot in the summertime. We've only been to the lake, and done a half-marathon there, but the hiking is said to be superb and the fishing is even better. Yankee Meadow is free and the road is mostly paved but most of the camping is not.
Mammoth Creek
We recently stumbled upon Mammoth Creek while we were driving through Brian Head. Mammoth Creek is a little woodland town located halfway between Brian Head and Panguitch and is on a turn off that is easy to miss. We drove through a meadow of grazing sheep and an extremely protective cattle dog (so beware) and then passed a small campground to get to the creek. There are two forks of the creek that run through the land, a fast and slow moving one, where we met a lively fly-fisher. It is much colder here, but the colors down here were second to none. The location is free and town is not too far off from the creek; there may be places to eat but we left really late so we didn't have a chance to stop and see.
Do you have any favorite fall spots in Utah? Let us know in the comments!
