Are you traveling from out of town to St. George, Utah for one of our mountain bike clinics? Or maybe you have considered the trip out to beautiful St. George, Utah. Here is a guide to help plan your stay! Everything from accommodations, to food and dining to recommended hiking and mountain biking trails.
Accommodations
You will find that St. George has lots of great vacation homes available with lots of space and bedrooms! We love using the vacation rentals available in the Paradise Village at Zion (typically book through Airbnb). A lot of cyclists like staying in the Green Valley area since it is so close to the Green Valley trails. If you want to be closer to the classic JEM trail, Gooseberry Mesa and Zion National Park, then we recommend this great house in Hurricane.
Here is a list of some popular hotels within St. George.
You can also find accommodation options just outside of St. George in Hurricane, La Verkin and Santa Clara.
Camping Recommendations
There are several options for camping in and around St. George.
Red Cliffs Campground - This campground has 10 campsites. Quail Creek, a seasonal stream, flows through the middle of the campground. Several trail systems are just outside this campground, including the popular Cottonwood Trail used for hiking and mountain biking or the Red Reef Trail - another popular hiking trail.
Sand Hollow State Park - A popular destination for camping. You will be surrounded by warm blue water and red sandstone landscape. Sand Hollow Reservoir is popular for cliff jumping, boating and exploring / riding sand dunes. There is often a lot of OHV traffic in these camping areas. You have your choice from Sandpit or Westside Campground.
Snow Canyon State Park - Snow Canyon features red sandstone and black lava rock. There is nearby great hiking, biking on paved paths and camping. It is located in the 62,000 Acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve to protect desert tortoises and its habitat. These campsites have a stunning backdrop of towering sandstone cliffs in red and white.
Quail Creek State Park - Quail Creek is another local reservoir with some camping options. There is only one main campground located here. This camping area is near Red Cliffs Campground and has access to similar trail systems.
Food and Dining Recommendations
Restaurants:
Benja's Thai and Sushi (two locations)
Cafe Feel Love fun breakfast spot
Xetava Gardens Cafe in Kayenta, sit outside for a quiet and delicious meal
Harmons in Santa Clara is our favorite grocery store in Utah, super clean with lots of take out options
Rylu's Bistro charming cafe in Santa Clara
Cliffside Restaurant has great ambience overlooking the city of St. George and red rock cliffs
For a full St George sugar rush, try these:
Outside of St. George, on your way toward Zions:
River Rock in La Verkin
Oscar's Cafe in Springdale
Mountain Bike Trail Recommendations
The Green Valley Race Loop - Roll over the top of these trails and you can drop into: Bear Claw Poppi to Stucki. Coming down Bear Claw Poppi is SO much fun! It's rolling and swoppy and everyone from my 9 year old to the fastest pro can have fun on that trail! If you ride Stucki all the way up, you can connect over to the Santa Clara Trails:
Barrel Roll to Sidewinder will give you the biggest reward for views. The top of Sidewinder is one of my favorite spots in St. George to just chill and look out at the vista, you are on a cliff edge at the top (very safe) and can see views 360 degrees. From there if you want a little more of a challenge, “Suicidal Tendencies” is super fun and gets you a little further out. It’s fun ridden in both directions.
JEM - a classic out in Hurricane. You can get to the Jem trail a few different ways. If you want to ride it, you might have to drive on a dirt road depending on how you start. Make sure you come down on JEM.
Gooseberry Mesa - This one is a bit of a drive and the dirt road is slow. However, it’s another classic where you are guaranteed incredible views and riding.
Guacamole - This trail is phenomenal with stunning views of Zion and surrounding areas. It is challenging because you are constantly riding up and down features, but there is very little elevation gain.
Church Rocks - is a 3.1 mile slick rock ride. There are some challenging spots on the actual Church Rocks Loop that beginners may need to walk. We recommend starting on the Prospector Trail starting at the Cottonwood Trailhead for a longer ride. The Prospector Trail alone is a great trail for beginners.
Other Local Attractions:
There is no shortage of activities in the St. George area. But here are a few areas located just outside of St. George that we love.
Zion National Park - Utah’s first National Park and probably the most iconic and scenic. Expect the drive to be about an hour to an hour and a half. If you have yet to visit this National Park, it is worth the drive and time it takes. It has some of the most incredible mountain views in Utah. It will literally take your breath away.
Pioneer Park - This 52-acre park is full of sandstone structures and red cliffs to hike, climb and play on (even some walk through slot canyons). It is also a beautiful destination to catch sunset views and overlook the city of St. George.
Toquerville Falls - 30 miles outside of St. George you can find yourself enjoying these beautiful waterfalls, cascading over desert rocks and landscape! It is a fun place to cool off and play in the water. The road getting there is rough, a truck, SUV or ATV is needed. Find out more information here.
Red Mountain - In Dammeron Valley you will find the Red Mountain Trailhead. The first section of trail is uneventful, but the trail will eventually lead to an amazing overlook that is worth seeing!
Glitter Mountain - If you like rockhounding then Glitter Mountain is a popular destination. A 25 minute drive from St. George, located in Arizona. Glitter Mountain is an old gypsum mine. The gypsum is everywhere and sparkles in the sunlight, hence the name Glitter Mountain. The owner of the mine allows visitors, just be respectful of rules posted.
Our St. George Mountain Bike Clinics are typically held in November and March. Contact support@womeninthemountains to be put on a waitlist or inquire about a private session in St. George.
The Mountain Bike Mastery Course is where we take your mountain bike skills to the next level and way beyond. Join from anywhere in the world for the most in-depth, personalized coaching possible. Make some magic on your bike with Coach Erica Tingey supporting you every pedal stroke of the way.