Zion
National Park lies between the two towns, and either
could serve as a stopping place before driving to the
spectacular park. Located 75 miles apart, they are linked
by Utah Highway 9. St. George is the home of Dixie
College, a 2-year institution established in
1911.
The
town was the winter residence of the Mormon founder, and
his home is now a museum. The Brigham Young Winter Home
is located at 200 N. 100 West (using the unique Mormon
street designation system) and is open year-round from 9
am until dusk. Erected in 1877, the white Mormon Temple
in St. George was the first temple to be completed in
Utah. The temple grounds and visitor center are open
every day.
Kanab
is another historic town and, like St. George, has an
imposing early courthouse. Kanab has been a movie-making
town for many years, nicknamed Little Hollywood because
so many westerns have been shot around here over the past
40 years. Frontier Movie Town is a popular attraction, as
are several of the movie sets that still sit near the
community. The Heritage House (100 S. Main Street) is an
important restored historic house that is open daily and
contains memorabilia from the town's pioneer days.
What
to See & Do
While
Cedar City has its Shakespearean Festival, St. George has
classical comedies and melodramas, which are staged each
summer by the Pioneer Players in the Arena Theater at
Dixie College. For information, phone (435) 628-3121.
There are four golf courses in the area, plus two ghost
towns are nearby to explore. Both Old Frisco and Silver
Reef are located just north of town.
A
Day-Trip
One
of the best preserved of Utah's ghost towns is located on
the Smithsonian Butte Backcountry Byway. Back in
1880, Captain Clarence Dutton and his expedition got
their first view of the towers of Zion from atop what he
called Smithsonian Butte (after the museum in Washington,
D.C.). The byway can be reached from either Utah Highway
59 or Utah Hwy. 9. Both roads lead west from the St.
George area.
To
retrace Captain Dutton's original path, take Highway 59 8
miles west of Hildale and turn onto the byway at Big
Plain Junction. Caanan Mountain lies to the east, with
the Vermillion Cliffs in front of the mountain.
Smithsonian Butte towers to the northeast. The gravel
road veers east around the Butte with splendid views of
the Virgin River Valley. This river has sculpted the
canyons of Zion National Park and created the other deep
canyons in this area.
At
the river crossing is the old site of Grafton (2
miles west of Rockville). Settled here in 1862 after a
flood destroyed the first town, Grafton was abandoned in
the early 1900s. There are five buildings still standing,
and the Grafton cemetery (just south of the townsite) is
worth a visit. The famous bicycle scene in the movie
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid was shot
here.
St.
George Camping
Settlers
RV Park has 160 RV sites and 50 tent sites and is
open all year (435-628-1624). Temple View RV Resort
is also open year-round with 252 RV sites and 40 for
tents. Both have full hookups, water, showers, laundry,
and swimming.
Kanab
Area Camping
Coral
Pink Sand Dunes State Park is open all year with 22
pull-through sites and a dump station (435-874-2408).
The Ponderosa is smaller with 10 trailer sites, pit
toilets, and no showers or fee (435-586-2401).
