Scenic Drives Near St. George, Utah

Southern Utah has a way of making people feel like they stumbled onto a film set. The colors are vivid, the rock formations dramatic, and the skies wide. St. George sits right in the middle of it, with some of the most accessible and varied scenery in the American West within an hour or two in any direction.

If you’re planning a trip here and want to know which drives are worth your time, this covers the ones that consistently earn it. Having a car is essential for exploring the best routes and experiencing the natural beauty around St. George.

Zion Park Scenic Byway (Highway 9)

Most people headed to Zion take Highway 9, and most of them don’t realize that the drive itself is worth slowing down for before you even get to the park entrance. The Zion Park Scenic Byway traverses beautiful red rock scenery along the Virgin River from the town of Hurricane and into Zion National Park, offering pretty views and dramatic cliffs that make the journey itself a highlight.

Highway 9 starts about 9 miles from St. George where it intersects with I-15, runs through Hurricane and the Virgin River valley, and climbs into Zion National Park. The road follows the river for much of the way, and the canyon walls get taller and closer as you move east. Inside the park, the route passes through the famous mile-long tunnel before opening up into a completely different landscape on the eastern side, where the terrain shifts to sweeping slickrock, open plateaus, and impressive cliffs. Along the drive inside the national park, you’ll find several scenic overlooks that provide panoramic views of the surrounding rock formations and canyons.

On the eastern side of the park, keep an eye out for Checkerboard Mesa, a sandstone formation with a crosshatch pattern carved by erosion that looks almost too precise to be natural. The Canyon Overlook Trail near the tunnel entrance is a short, manageable hike that rewards you with a panoramic view of the canyon below. It’s about 1 mile round trip and well worth the stop.

The full route from I-15 to Mt. Carmel Junction runs about 54 miles and is easy to knock out in an afternoon. If you only have time for one drive near St. George, this is it. Planning stops for snacks and photos at scenic overlooks can enhance your enjoyment of this national park drive.

Kolob Terrace Road

This one takes more effort to find, which is exactly why most people miss it.

Kolob Terrace Road starts in the small town of Virgin, just off Highway 9, and heads north through the lesser-known middle section of Zion National Park. It’s paved all the way to Kolob Reservoir and climbs from around 3,600 feet at the start to over 8,000 feet at the top. That elevation gain is the whole story, as the road winds through mountain terrain perfect for outdoor adventures.

You start in the desert. Lava rock, sandstone, scrub brush. As the road climbs, the landscape cycles through multiple zones: red rock formations, open meadows with old pioneer cabins, pinyon pine forests, and eventually thick ponderosa pines and wide alpine terrain. The reservoir at the top sits at nearly 9,000 feet and is a genuine contrast to where you started.

Unlike the main Zion Canyon corridor, this road sees very little traffic and offers a true sense of solitude. There’s no entrance kiosk, and for stretches the road crosses private ranch land in and out of the park boundary. You might share the road with cattle trucks. It’s a different experience from the shuttle-bus crowds of Zion’s main canyon, and many people who’ve been to Zion multiple times have never driven it.

Plan about 90 minutes to two hours for the drive without stops, and more if you want to pull over. The light in the evening hours is particularly good on the ridgelines.

One note: Upper portions of the road are not plowed in winter, so check conditions before you go if you’re visiting between November and April.

Bringing plenty of water is essential when planning this scenic drive, especially during summer.

Kolob Canyons Road

The northwest section of Zion National Park has its own separate entrance off I-15, about 20 miles north of St. George. Kolob Canyons Road leads to a lesser-known section of Zion National Park and stretches for just five miles. This scenic drive climbs 1,000 feet in just 5 miles to a picnic area with great lookout points and scenic overlooks.

The canyons here are cut deep into the western edge of the Colorado Plateau, and the walls of Navajo sandstone rise up to 2,000 feet. The road ends at a viewpoint that looks directly into the canyon fingers. It takes maybe 20 to 30 minutes to drive in and out, and the Taylor Creek Trail near the entrance adds another solid option for groups that want a short walk with a big payoff.

Because it’s a separate entrance from the main park, it doesn’t draw the same crowds. It also requires a Zion National Park pass, so plan accordingly.

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park is located just 10 minutes north of St. George, Utah.

Most visitors enter Snow Canyon through the south entrance near Ivins, which serves as the main gateway into the park. The Snow Canyon Road Scenic Backway travels through the park, featuring colorful sandstone cliffs, twisted rock formations, and ancient lava flows. The drive loops past lava fields, sandstone dunes, hills, and canyon walls in shades of red, white, and black, offering amazing views and showcasing the park’s natural beauty. The contrast between the volcanic rock and the Navajo sandstone is striking and unlike most other parks in the area. Extinct cinder cones sit alongside the road, and the petrified dunes near the park entrance are easy to walk out onto.

Snow Canyon State Park is known for its scenic hiking trails, slot canyons, stunning Navajo sandstone formations, and ancient lava rock. The park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including fun family-friendly trails, exploring hills, and opportunities for solitude amid the breathtaking cliffs. Camping is available at a well-maintained campground, making it a great basecamp for exploring Southern Utah.

It’s a full park pass to enter, but the driving loop is short enough to pair with a hike or two and still be done in a few hours. Johnson Canyon Road connects Snow Canyon to the Gunlock area and extends the drive nicely if you want to keep moving. The best time to visit is during winter, spring, and fall, when mild desert temperatures make outdoor adventures especially enjoyable.

The Gunlock Loop

Lesser known than any of the options above, the drive from St. George out to Gunlock Reservoir and back through Diamond Valley is a hidden gem for those seeking scenic drives near St. George, Utah. This route offers a sense of solitude, making it perfect for visitors who want to escape the crowds and enjoy peaceful surroundings. Along the way, you'll find opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and picnicking.

Gunlock State Park sits at the end of a road that runs northwest of St. George through high desert terrain. The reservoir has a turquoise tint that looks out of place in the red rock landscape, and the shoreline is calm and mostly uncrowded. The Gunlock to Veyo route features ancient lava fields and is ideal for a scenic drive. From Gunlock, you can continue through Diamond Valley and loop back toward St. George, passing through terrain that feels genuinely remote for how close it is to the city.

It’s an easy drive on paved roads, and the lack of crowds makes it a reliable choice when Zion and Snow Canyon are busy.

Highway 12 Scenic Byway

This one requires a longer commitment, but earns it. Highway 12 is considered one of the best routes for exploring multiple national parks and mountain landscapes, connecting the Bryce Canyon area in the north down through Escalante, Boulder, and eventually intersecting with Highway 89. It’s 124 miles one way, and it covers more distinct landscapes per mile than almost any road in the state. Scenic drives in Southern Utah offer a mix of unique landscapes and local charm, making them ideal for exploration.

From St. George, you’d typically drive through Zion via Highway 9 first, then pick up Highway 12 heading north. Along the way, you’ll pass Bryce Canyon National Park, the Grand Staircase-Escalante, red rock domes, mountain scenery, dense forests, and small towns worth stopping in. Boulder, Utah, has a well-regarded restaurant, Hell’s Backbone Grill, that sources from its own garden. Escalante has gear shops and outfitters if you want to extend the trip into the backcountry. There are numerous scenic overlooks along the byway, offering panoramic views perfect for photos, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures like hiking, exploring slot canyons, and discovering the region’s natural beauty.

This is a full-day drive at minimum. Spring and fall are the best seasons for it.

Virgin River Gorge

Technically in Arizona, the Virgin River Gorge is one of the more dramatic stretches of interstate driving in the country and is worth mentioning for anyone driving to or from St. George via I-15.

South of St. George, the highway drops into a narrow gorge cut by the Virgin River, with canyon walls rising up on both sides. Along the way, there are several scenic overlooks where travelers can stop to appreciate the dramatic cliffs and take in panoramic views. The whole stretch is about 24 miles and runs through the far northwest corner of Arizona before climbing back out onto the plateau. It’s an active highway, not a designated scenic route, but the scenery is hard to ignore regardless.

Practical Notes

Having a car is essential for a successful road trip through Southern Utah, as it allows you to fully experience the scenic drives near St. George. Be sure to plan your route ahead of time to make the most of your scenic drive experience.

The best time for most of these drives is early morning or late afternoon. Heat in the lower elevations can be severe from June through August, and midday light flattens out the color in the landscape. Higher elevation drives like Kolob Terrace are more forgiving in summer.

Gas up before you head out on the more remote routes. Kolob Terrace, in particular, has no services along the road, and the Gunlock Loop has limited options.

A Zion National Park pass covers both the main canyon and the Kolob Canyons entrance. If you’re planning multiple days in the area, an America the Beautiful annual pass pays for itself quickly.

Where to Stay for a Group Trip

If you're visiting with a large group, having one property that fits everyone makes the logistics simple and the trip better. Frankie's Place in Hurricane is 15 minutes from St. George and sits close to the Highway 9 entrance to Zion. It sleeps up to 72 and has two pools, trampoline rooms, a sauna, and enough going on that people are happy to stay in on the nights they don't want to drive anywhere.

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