If you’re rolling into Capitol Reef at sunset or wrapping up a day of hiking but still have some energy left, the Chimney Rock Trail is a short, sweet hike that offers stunning panoramic sunset views. If you’re really short on time, you can take the official sunset “hike” in the park, Sunset Point Overlook—an easy half-mile trail that offers similar breathtaking vistas.
Chasing sunsets on the trails and yoga pose photobombing are two of my favorite things! What silly things do you do to express your exuberance in the wild?
Difficulty: Easy +, traverses slickrock, so shoes with good tread are recommended
Distance: 2.7 miles
Elevation gain: 423 ft
I’m guilty of only posting longer, more adventurous hikes, so here’s an easy St. George shortie that’s long on panoramic views.
If you only have time for a short hike in St. George, Owen’s Loop is one you might consider, especially for a sunset hike. While rated easy, this popular hike is an excellent introduction to Southwestern Utah’s varied, rugged terrain. You’ll be traversing red slick rock, white sandstone, and lava rock, so you may find yourself paying more attention to your footing and to the trail itself than usual. Even the “easy”, suburban hikes here have some elements of adventure. If you lose track of the “camouflaged” trail, don’t worry, the hike follows the rim across and back, and you’ll soon encounter footsteps or wheel tracks to get you back on track.
The sweeping 360-degree views from the Beaver Dam Mountains to Pine Valley Mountain, and even out to Zion, are especially breathtaking when blessed with one of our magnificent Southwestern Utah Sunsets. Plan to finish the hike before dark if you don’t have lights, but consider remaining on the ridge as night descends to watch the city lights sparkle below.
If you’re up for more mileage, there are options to add on with the City Creek Trail, or across the way at Pioneer Park. Visit the Red Cliff Desert Reserve website for current info on this and other local hikes.
Note: “Loop” is a bit of a misnomer as the loop part is a tiny lollipop at the far end of the trail overlooking the public Dixie Red Hills Golf Course and the Elk’s Club below. This trail is more of an out-and-back.
Getting there: Parking for the trailhead is at Brooks Nature Park, 452 North Main St., St. George. You can also park at the Pioneer Park trailhead and walk across the street. (Use the crosswalk or the underpass.)
Difficulty: Easy +, depending on your fitness level and altitude acclimation
Elevation: 9,174 – 9,519 FT
Named after the Bloods family, a pioneering family who homesteaded the area (not for what’s circulating in your veins or the lake color), the Bloods Lake trail is a short, pleasant stroll through the woods with a gradual incline on the smooth terrain of a well-groomed trail (trail runnable).
I wanted to make this shortie longer, but there was far too much snow beyond this lake. If you arrive after snow melt or have snowshoes, you can continue on to Lake Lackawaxen, named after its namesake river in Pennsylvania (2.6 miles, 1 way), Clayton Peak (2.7 miles, 1k FT elevation gain, 1 way), and Peak 10420 (2.5 miles, 1 way). Even if you hit them all, you won’t be able to get much mileage here.
This area is part of the Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, which was saved from development in 2017 thanks to a collaborative effort of various organizations and individuals. While that is indeed something to celebrate, they are recouping their costs aggressively, presumably to “manage increasing use, reduce congestion, and protect the area”. This is the most expensive trailhead parking scheme I have EVER encountered. They charge by the hour! It’s $5 per hour on weekdays and $8 per hour on weekends. Apparently, those who are privileged enough to live in the 84060 Park City zip code can apply for a free parking permit.
I paid $16 in advance, hoping I would make it to Clayton Peak and back. Deep snow stopped me at Bloods Lake, so I finished my hike within an hour with no recourse for a refund. Was it worth $8, yes – $16, no. As you can tell, I find this fee system utterly obnoxious. Though the silver lining is that it does motivate you to keep a fast pace, which I like- lol.
Getting there: The trailhead is one of several hiking trails along the super scenic Guardsman Pass.
Notes: Parking fills early on the weekends! Exorbitant hourly parking fees ($5 per hour on weekdays and $8 per hour on weekends)!
Distance: Short: 1-5 miles; you can combine trails to make a longer loop
Sometimes, we take the people and things closest to us for granted. That’s the case for me and my local Anasazi (Ivins) and Tukupetsi trails (Santa Clara). These easily accessible, connecting trails are short (runnable and mountain bikeable), featuring the intriguing Land Hill petroglyph site, a fenced-in farmstead ruin once used to store food and herbs, and grand views in every direction.
I like these trails best when the Cottonwoods light up the rugged desert landscape with their vibrant flash of yellow, tracing the meandering (and meager) path of the Santa Clara River below. You can find me there, chasing leaves and golden light in my annual frenzy to catch it just right.
Take in the panoramic views of Red Mountain, Pine Valley Mountain, and, on a clear day, as far out to Zion from the ridge.
I will only post a couple of petroglyph pictures. I’d like you to be able to discover them for yourself.
Here are some highlights from the Tukupetsi side in Santa Clara from the vantage points of the upper and lower trails.
And more from Fall 2025.
Notes: Remember to leave no trace and respect all ancient petroglyphs and ruins. Please do not touch, step, sit on, or deface them. Oils in your hand can damage them, as can debris from your shoes. Perhaps think of them as outdoor museum art and appreciate their mystery.
These easy, short, fun hikes are offered by onthelooselive yoga and hike retreats and day adventures.
Distance: (Choose your own adventure) to the Arch ~7.5 one-way, Coyote Natural Bridge ~10 miles one-way, ~11+ miles Swiss Cheese Falls
Difficulty: Easy via Hurricane Wash out & back, other routes are more challenging
Elevation Gain:~591 FT
I chose the easy way to the arch via the Hurricane Wash Trailhead as I was testing my new backpacking gear. As the trail name suggests, you hike through a sandy, rocky wash for about 4.5 miles. Beyond that, you enter the river canyon, encountering shallow water crossings (inches deep and 6 feet wide in spots), dodging quicksand, and bushwacking through overgrowth and reeds. Gradually, you begin to catch glimpses of the towering red walls, and the scenery becomes more compelling, distracting you from the slog portions of this oft-proclaimed “epic hike.”. In about ~3 miles you reach the spectacular Jacob Hamblin Arch. I
If you venture beyond the arch another 2.5 miles or so to the right, you’ll come upon Coyote Natural Bridge, and beyond that, “Swiss Cheese Falls” and, just beyond that, a lovely water pocket/pool area—an unexpected highlight. Normally, it would have called for an immersion, but I had to skip it due to fleeting daylight and temperature considerations. Next time!
I retraced my steps back to the arch and a couple of miles further and set up camp for the night. The goal was to shorten the next morning’s hike out, as Golden Cathedral was on the agenda for the afternoon. It was lovely to sleep under the stars with the bright, beautiful moon watching over me.
Getting there: Head east from Escalante, UT on Highway 12, past mile marker 64. Look for Hole in the Rock Road, also know as BLM 220, on the right and take it for~ 33.8 miles to the dirt trailhead parking lot. 4-wheel drive with high clearance is highly recommended; this road is rugged and notoriously washboard!
Notes: There are other more interesting/ challenging routes to the arch, namely, “Sneaker” and “Crack-in-the-Wall.” Now that I’m comfortable with my gear, I’ll give the loop a try next time, I might do it as a day hike, tbd. Stay tuned for the gear report as well. Always bring ample water, even the cooler seasons. My water filter clogged, but I had ample water reserves and a lifestraw just in case.
Happy Trails!
Did you know? Onthelooselive offers yoga and hike retreats, as well as adventure itineraries to help you get the most out of your Utah adventures!
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