Once upon a time on a day trip from St. George, Utah, we became immersed in what used to be the wastelands of the Santa Clara Volcano. You can see remnants of it nearly everywhere, from the cinder cone that rises tall into the sky to the lava tubes that are now buried beneath the sand. Snow Canyon State Park served up some pretty amazing views, but knowing that we were once were lava had flowed so furiously down the sand? That was next level cool. 😎

 

The Ancient Petrified Dunes in Utah

Tucked away in the Red Cliffs of Utah, lies a less-touristy stop that it seems like a lot of people pass by. There’s a lot of other cool places to see around the area such as Horseshoe Bend, Bryce Canyon or Page, Arizona. But I’m grateful we were able to stop here and get a glimpse into the history beneath and above us.

I think one of my favorite parts had to be the ancient sand dunes. (Check out the photo above). Yes, they are actually considered ancient! From like, Jurassic times! 🦖 (Rawr!)

They are now petrified, since over time the sandstone has gotten to a cement-like material from becoming buried. You can walk over them just like pavement or a sidewalk, except they’re textured and giant hills! It’s crazy to think about how long these have been here, and knowing that the last shape the sand took is how it was formed for the rest of eternity.

Related: Surfing the Coral Pink Sand Dunes

 

Did you know? That the tectonic uplifts that caused these dunes to be exposed, were the same uplifts that created some of the features in the Grand Canyon?! This was about 70 MILLION years ago. Just think about how many animals and humans may have walked the same path when you’re traversing over these petrified dunes.

Check out our Grand Canyon tour of Rim-River-Rim

 

 

What to Know Before You Hike the Petrified Dunes

Sure, you can’t sand surf on them and you won’t find hidden creatures beneath your feet (like scorpions hiding in the sand), but you will have the opportunity to stand on a piece of history. ✨

If you’re interested in the hike, you can read more about it here. It’s only about 1.2 miles but it’ll give you views to last a lifetime. It’s also pretty windy there so prepare accordingly. You can see the parking lot from most high points, so it’s pretty easy to find your bearings again if you accidentally veer off course.

Remember to bring enough water (even if the trail is close to the parking lot) so that you can stay hydrated throughout the park. It is totally exposed with little to no vegetation, so shade will be hard to come by. I’d recommend investing in a nice sunhat from REI if it’s on your way, with a sun shirt and sunscreen. 🧴👒

 

 

Volcano to Vista: The Cinder Cone Trail

A bit closer to the now, (like, 3 million years ago closer), is approximately when the nearby cinder cone erupted. It was even active to around 27,000 years ago! This, my friend is what then caused lava to start flowing over the sand nearby. (You can see parts of this when you spot the black ridges formed throughout the canyon).

I think something I often forget about volcanos is that volcanos move. Sure, it’s technically the tectonic plates that are constantly moving, not the volcano itself, but alas, it is in the same original position. This is why there are often other areas around the “volcano” that show signs of it as well. (Such as the nearby Cinder Cone that is basically just cinders that had been ejected during the eruption and then deposited elsewhere nearby).

Did you know? The Santa Clara Cinder Cones are considered “monogenetic,” meaning they usually only erupt once.

Climbing to the top of the Cinder Cone (the main one) is no joke. Sure it may look small, and the hike says it’s pretty short, but it is rocky, and all uphill. It’s only about 2 miles long, but as you gain the quick 462 feet, you start to wonder why you didn’t pack more snacks…☹️

AllTrails also claims it’s a pretty popular trail, but we didn’t see anyone at all on our way up or down. Try going during the week if you can, so you avoid the weekend crowds! I also recommend going in the morning if possible to beat the heat as much as you are able. We also saw some cool caterpillars along the way, so watch your step! 🐛

 

Exploring the Lava Tubes

Let’s move onto the Lava Tubes Trail, shall we? We decided to take the Lava Tubes and Butterfly Loop Trail, which is about a 2 mile loop you can complete in around 45 minutes. There is another trail though as well, the Lava Tubes via Lava Flow Trail, that we went back the next day on to tackle. This one is a bit more challenging, but you can still get to lava tube #1 and #2.

We ended up coming back because we didn’t bring headlamps! If you’re willing to explore a little more in depth, you can scramble down into tube #1 but make sure you have a flashlight or headlamp to see where you’re going! P.S., the trail is also partially paved, which makes it super easy for kids and families to traverse it as well! (This is our favorite headlamp, a little pricey but worth the investment). 💪

Lava tubes are formed by the hot lava flowing atop the ground and then cooling over time. The lava underneath then continues to flow, which creates tunnel-like features beneath the surface. We’re excited to someday hike the Lava River Cave in Flagstaff, Arizona, now that we know how cool they are!

There unfortunately is some graffiti inside on the walls, so please be sure to stay courteous when visiting these parks and help to keep them in their natural state for generations to come. 🙏💜

 

 

More Tips for Your Snow Canyon State Park Trip

There’s actually so many trails we didn’t even get to go on in Snow Canyon State Park. The mentioned trails above took about a day and a half, and then we moved onto other parts of our trip. You could easily spend more time here camping, exploring, and hiking in the sand, but it’s a nice day trip if that’s all you have time for.

Check out the two pics below👇 showing a cool little slot canyon we found within the park!) Find “Jenny’s Trail” here if you want to put it on your bucket list! It’s a nice little short hike, (only about 0.7 miles long) that the whole family can partake in.

Slot Canyon: A slot canyon is a narrow, deep canyon with steep walls, carved over time by water, wind, and sediment.

Personally, I love hiking in the sand. I always hear people saying how much they hate it, but I love that desert-meets-beach vibe it gives me as I get more immersed in it’s texture. 🌵

And guys, let’s do our due diligence as hikers and be sure to maintain proper hygiene along the trails. We noticed several spots with tissues thrown on the ground (on short trails!) even though there were plenty of actual bathrooms in most of the parking lots. If you really have to go out in the wild though, grab yourself a free pee cloth by subscribing! This has saved my butt when I didn’t want to stash used toilet paper or worry about dropping it alongside the trail in a puddle of mud. 😅

 

 

Planning Your Visit to Snow Canyon

Snow Canyon is only a short 15 minute drive from St. George, Utah, so it was the perfect close location to embark on some unforgettable treks. If you’re interested in where we stayed there, check out this post to learn more. (PS. It was beautiful and budget-friendly, win-win!)

There is a park fee upon arrival, which is just $10 per car. We thought that was pretty fair compared to some other fees we’ve encountered, but if you grab yourself a national park pass, you can bypass a lot of the fees and save oodles of moolah over the course of the year if you’re travel junkies like us. 💸

We’ve had a lot of short day trips to nearby places on trips, but this one was one of my faves. There was so many unique things to explore, and it wasn’t so busy that we decided to skip it. Snow Canyon had just the right amount of beauty, wonder, and trails to give any hiker a full day or two worth of fun. Check it out sometime when you’re in the area and drop a comment on the socials if you’re into sharing cool things. ✌️

 

 

Thank You For Joining Me On My Trip To Snow Canyon State Park!

I’m so glad you joined me on this virtual trip to Snow Canyon State Park. I hope this post inspires you to seek out your own adventures, whether for mental health moments or just a new view. What other parks are on your list? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more!