Things to do / Travel Guide
If the flowers, plants, and pines of the National and State Parks just aren't enough, there are some great botanical gardens and wildlife preserves in the southern Utah region. These spots will give visitors the unique opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the vegetation while learning about them at the same time.
Wildlife Preserves near Moab
The ponds, marshes, and trees of the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve provide some of the best wetlands wildlife watching in the region. The 875-acre preserve near Moab is a habitat for many species of plants, animals, fish, and birds. Migrating waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds all make a stop at the wetlands. Guided walks of the area are available on Saturdays in the summer, when the wetlands are open daily.
Another Moab-area wildlife preserve is the Matheson Preserve, located on the western edge of the city. It is a birding area that rests beneath the cliffs of the Colorado River. The preserve has many different trails in addition to a boardwalk, with opportunities to observe the birds right from the marsh.
Botanical Gardens near Escalante and Capital Reef
Located in the heart of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, the small 200-acre Devils Rock Garden protects the delicate sandstone hoodoos, domes, narrow passages, and small arches that distinguish the extraordinary landscape. It is great for an afternoon picnic or a day of backcountry exploration.
Botanical Gardens in Cedar City
The campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City is home to the Centennial Parterre Gardens, a university staff project that features several hundred species of flowers and plants grown at the university's science center. The gardens are located at the southern end of a Greek-themed Eccles Coliseum, which definitely a worthwhile stop over while visiting the gardens. Statues, towers, and spires adorn the pathways of the garden.
Botanical Gardens near St. George
The Robert L. Shepherd Desert Arboretum is located in Santa Clara, east of St. George. It was established by Robert Shepherd, a local artist and resident, and includes interpretive paths around lava flows and through the surrounding desert landscape. The arboretum provides information on how desert plants survive the harsh climate and landscape.
The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is dedicated to the protection of the desert tortoise and other plant and wildlife species. It is a 61,000-acre area in the scenic desert north of St. George, Santa Clara, and Hurricane. Over 130 miles of trails are located within the reserve, great for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
In the far southwest corner of Utah, not too far from St. George, the Mojave Dessert has become the base for Lytle Ranch Reserve. This extraordinary spot is home to a variety of bird species including the vermillion flycatcher, crissal thrasher, white winged dove, Gambel's quail, and cactus wren. The site is also home to the desert tortoise and a variety of reptiles.
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