Hidden Pinyon Trail

Hidden Pinyon Trail winds through one of Snow Canyon State Park's most intimate and ecologically interesting landscapes — a terrain of ancient pinyon pine trees, lava tubes, and colorful Navajo Sandstone formations that together create a richly textured environment packed into a modest 1.5-mile loop. The trail's namesake pinyons are genuinely old — some specimens in this area have been growing for centuries, their twisted, wind-shaped forms perfectly adapted to the desert environment of southwestern Utah.

The lava tube entrances encountered along the route are relics of volcanic eruptions that swept through Snow Canyon within the last few thousand years — geologically speaking, yesterday. Several tube entrances are accessible for close inspection, their openings revealing the dark, cool interiors where lava once flowed. The sandstone formations along the loop display the vivid color palette of the Navajo Formation, ranging from white through pink and orange to deep red depending on iron content. The trail offers excellent birding for desert species including cactus wrens, canyon towhees, and curve-billed thrashers. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout. Snow Canyon is situated adjacent to the city of St. George and makes an excellent half-day destination year-round, with the $15 per vehicle fee required at the entrance station.