Snow Canyon State Park is one of the most stunning state parks I’ve ever seen. When I was considerably younger, I dated a woman who was an identical twin. When I met her sister, I could obviously tell that they were twins, but they were also completely different. Having spent many months of my life in nearby Zion National Park, driving into Snow Canyon felt much the same. The scenery looks so familiar to me, but it was all totally new as well. I loved it.
Located just north of St. George, Snow Canyon is a part of the Red Cliffs Desert Preserve. Much like Zion, Snow Canyon rests at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin, exhibiting characteristics of all three. The rock formations are composed mainly of sandstone. The red formations contain iron while the white cliffs do not. Unlike in Zion, there are also cool volcanic areas including several lava tubes.
Human history here stretches back over 2000 years. Ancestral Puebloan cultures passed through the area often, and later, Paiute Indians would come to Snow Canyon. Mormons arrived in the area in the 1850s. One of Utah’s first state parks, it was originally called Dixie State Park and was later renamed after local Mormon pioneers Lorenzo and Erastus Snow. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, definitely come check it out. I hope you enjoy these photos from beautiful Snow Canyon State Park.