Places to Explore

• Boulder

  That mail was delivered to Boulder by horse and mule until 1940 should give you an idea of how remote it is. The town was founded by cattle ranchers, and ranching continues to occupy many residents. The... (more)

• Brian Head

  Brian Head made a name for itself as a ski town (Brian Head Resort is Utah's southernmost and highest ski area at well over 9,000 feet), but the area's summer recreation, especially mountain biking, has... (more)

• Cedar City

  Rich iron-ore deposits here grabbed Mormon leader Brigham Young's attention, and he ordered a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) mission established. The first ironworks and foundry opened... (more)

• Escalante

  Though the Dominguez and Escalante expedition of 1776 came nowhere near this area, the town's name does honor the Spanish explorer. It was bestowed nearly a century later by a member of a survey party... (more)

• Hurricane

  An increasing number of lodging establishments makes Hurricane a fine alternate base for exploring Dixie. Nearby Gooseberry Mesa is one of the best places to mountain bike in Utah.... (more)

• Kanab

  Kanab is Hollywood's vision of the American West. Soaring vermilion sandstone cliffs and sagebrush flats with endless vistas have lured filmmakers to this area for more than 75 years. The welcoming sign... (more)

• Mt. Carmel Junction

  Little more than where Route 9 meets U.S. 89, Mt. Carmel Junction does offer some funky small-town lodging for those willing to stay about 15 minutes east of Zion National Park's east entrance. But don't... (more)

• Panguitch

  An elevation of 6,650 feet helps this town of 1,600 residents keep its cool. Main Street is lined with late-19th-century buildings, and its early homes and outbuildings are noted for their distinctive... (more)

• Paria

  The town once known as Paria—or, historically, Pahreah—is long gone, but the name remains to describe the area around the intermittently flowing Paria River. Pahreah, incidentally, was Ute... (more)

• Springdale

  Springdale's growth has followed that of next-door neighbor Zion National Park, the most popular park destination in Utah and one of the most popular in the United States. Hotels, restaurants, and shops... (more)

• St. George

  Believing the mild year-round climate ideal for growing cotton, Brigham Young dispatched 309 LDS families in 1861 to found St. George. They were to raise cotton and silkworms and to establish a textile... (more)