Things to do / Travel Guide
While nature-lovers of all ages will likely appreciate the inspiring red rock country and desert landscape the southern Utah region is known for, there are certainly several ways to create a more family-focused vacation out of popular destinations. There is something for every age and preference, whether its long walks, short hikes, or daredevil style antics down rivers or up cliffs; programs, activities, and sites cater to the whole family.
Family Programs in Southern Utah National Parks
Junior Ranger Programs are offered at many of the region's National and State Parks and recreation areas, such as Zion, Bryce Canyon, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, and Lake Powell, and the North Rim of Grand Canyon. Junior Ranger Programs give children 12 or 14 and under the chance to learn more about the parks and earn a junior rangers certificate in the process. After a few sessions or a day's worth of activities and ranger-guided programs, kids can head to their hotel-home complete with a ranger patch, pins, and certificates. The program also allows other family members to explore the park independently, as the under-12 crowd spends quality time with a Park Ranger. Glen Canyon's Junior Ranger Program is based at the Wahweap and Bullfrog marinas on Lake Powell, where kids can learn about the history, plants, and animals of Glen Canyon and Lake Powell.
As the pioneer and harvest traditions of the area come to life, the whole family will stay entertained at the Harvest Homecoming in Capital Reef National Park. Craftspeople demonstrate their trades, children can re-enact a day in the life of a student at the Fruita schoolhouse, and stories of Mormon pioneer settlement and Native American culture are shared.
At the visitor centers of most National Parks, families can grab a bird watching or wildlife checklist, making the park experience an exciting scavenger hunt for bird and beast. They can also participate in Park Ranger programs that focus on geology, plants, animals, human history, or other features. Programs include guided walks, children's activities, and evening programs, and, in family-friendly style, are generally free of charge.
Spectacular State Parks in Southern Utah
The whole family will enjoy the eerie, out-of-this-world landscape of Goblin Valley State Park. The intricately eroded goblin-like rock creatures are practically a playground, perfect for a game of hide and seek, a hike, or a stroll. Coral Pink Sand Dunes Sate Park has a boardwalk trail through the dunes for those who prefer solid ground, and it boasts acres of fine pink sand perfect for playing around. Snow Canyon State Park, to the east of St. George, boasts many short and incredibly scenic trails that likely won't over-exhaust the kids. Another favorite is Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, where visitors can view petrified wood, fossilized dinosaur bones, and artifacts left by the native Americans who inhabited the area nearly 1,000 years ago. The park, located one mile west of Escalante off Scenic Byway 12, has hiking trails, fishing, canoeing, and camping and picnicking facilities. Finally, everyone in the family will appreciate the absolutely exquisite views of the Colorado River and its surrounding canyons from Dead Horse Point State Park, and the kids will surely appreciate how the park got its seemingly sordid name.
The unique formation of the area, a mesa rising more than 2,000 feet straight up from the river below, served as a natural corral into which cowboys drove herds of horses. The horses' only escape route was through a narrow, 30-yard neck of land usually fenced off but opened to unwanted horses left on the point to find their way out. According to legend, a group of mustangs were left corralled on the Point, and while the gate was supposedly left open so they could return to the range, for an unknown reason the horses remained and died of thirst - perhaps they couldn't tear themselves away from the spectacular views.
Family-Friendly Hikes and Trails in Southern Utah
Several parks in the region offer shorter trails geared toward an all-inclusive hike or bike ride that will satisfy all members of the family.
Arches National Park features many short, easy trails through eroded landscape that appears almost magical, making it a favorite for hikers of all ages. Zion National Park also offers many short “leg stretcher” walks, in addition to more strenuous adventure options. It is also an excellent location for wildflower walks in the spring and summer, and fall color tours in the autumn. The Pa'rus Trail in Zion National Park is a paved, car-free option for bicyclists, pedestrians, and those bearing strollers to visit lower Zion Canyon. The Lower Emerald Pool Trail is another great family pick. It's a 1.2-mile paved trail - wheelchair and stroller accessible. In Arches National Park, there is also a massive sand pile beneath Sand Dune Arch that is always popular with kids. The Grand Canyon North Rim also features some kid-friendly picks, such as the half-mile roundtrip hike to Bright Angel Point, an easy walk from the Grand Canyon Visitors Center. For a special treat, with a close look at the rocks at the viewpoint, crinoids fossils can be seen.
Adventure Activities for the Family in Southern Utah
Even activities sometimes labeled extreme can be made to accommodate the whole family. In fact, rafting, boating, and biking are offered for people of all skill levels and abilities. The Fisher Towers section of the Colorado River provides a great mix of mild rapids and calm water to give your family a taste of the thrills (and potential spills) of rafting and boating. The Virgin River, which flows from Zion National Park into the Virgin River Gorge along I-15 in the Arizona Strip, also has some more mild rapids perfect for a bit of floating or tubing in a beautiful desert landscape.
As for biking, plenty of trails in the region offer the type of terrain that the whole family can enjoy. In the Moab area, Kane Creek Road, which travels out the southwest end of town, is a paved biking delight - motor traffic is light and the road is laced with desert plant life and Native American rock art, the Colorado River flowing to its side. Near Goblin Valley State Park, the Temple Mountain area of the San Rafael Swell is a popular family destination. The almost-level dirt roads of the loop trail around Tropic Reservoir southeast of Panguitch are another great option for the family. More-advanced riders can head to the trails through pines and aspens toward Sunset Cliffs. In the St. George area, the Virgin River Bikeway gives families a chance to ride along the north bank of the river between the downtown area and the nearby town of Bloomington.
Other Family Activities in Southern Utah
Indoor recreational activities like miniature golf, bumper cars, and arcade games - or even indoor kart racing - rival the wonders of outdoor recreation when it comes to family fun. The Fiesta Fun Family Center in St. George features a wide selection of entertainment options, many of which are focused on younger children. A batting cage, play center, bumper water boats, go-carts, a video arcade and a mini-golf course are just some of the center's highlights.
Moab also has its own family entertainment center - Ya Gotta Wanna features mini-golf, go-carts, and a video arcade. For a taste of the Old West, Moab's Bar-M Chuckwagon offers a high-energy Western dinner show full of frills and fun for the whole family - gunfights, games, cowboy poetry, and good, old fashioned cowboy grub.
For a little bit of outdoor fun in the city, the Tonaquint Nature Center in St. George offers weekly family-focused lectures about area wildlife. The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm is the location of many dinosaur remains, including fossilized tracks that will take the kids back to the prehistoric age. They were first discovered at the farm in 2000, and, so far, more than 1,000 tracks have been found in a 10-acre area. Imprinted through “negative impression” casts on large slabs of sandstone dating back 205 million years, most of the tracks are three-toed and 13-18 inches long, made by a Dilophosaurus-like dinosaur. Smaller tracks have also been found by scientists, in addition to skin prints and impressions made by tail drags and swimming motions.
In the Moab area, the Butch Cassidy King World Waterpark has waterslides and pools - great for the kids while the rest of the family can bake in the sun. Cedar City's Park Discovery puts a spin on the standard playground - built from the design concepts of local children, the interactive play structure at the park features a science playground, dinosaur sand pit, an amphitheater and ¾-mile paved walking path.
For those kids fascinated by Native American life and culture, some very well-preserved ruins and ancient rock art left by the Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloans) are located in the Glen Canyon area near Lake Powell. Rangers can guide you to Defiance House in Forgotten Canyon and tell you about other dwellings and artifacts.
And of course, there is nothing like a relaxing boat ride to provide hours of water-fun and family bonding. Lake Powell is a favorite boating destination, and there are activities suited for every member of the family - snorkeling, waterskiing, swimming, and sunbathing, to name a few.
Whether it's a milder adventure experience - transforming the extreme into the family-friendly, or an entertainment haven designed just for the kids, southern Utah will surely be a crowd pleaser no matter the audience's age.
Family Vacation Ideas in Moab, Zion, Bryce, Arches National Parks in Southern Utah and the Arizona Strip
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