Pine Valley Walking Trail

Categories: Southern Utah Travel, Things to do in Southern Utah
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There’s a newly completed walking trail in Pine Valley Utah, and it is spectacular. Complete with bridges, a beautiful creek, a reservoir, old stone walls, and plenty of wildlife. If you’re looking for a place to go walking, running, or biking; and you want it to be simply stunning, then the Pine Valley walking trail is it.

pine valley reservoir bridge

The name for it is actually the Santa Clara River Trail, and it begins just past the pay gate to get into the Pine Valley Recreation area. There’s a parking lot for a hiking trail right across the street from it, but you really won’t miss it. Again it begins here and slowly winds its way up to the Pine Valley Reservoir. Along the way they have strategically placed benches that are great for taking a break and soaking in the beauty that surrounds you.

pine valley reservoir

The trail is also interlinked with all of the campgrounds and many of the facilities in Pine Valley, so if you’re looking for places to camp near St George you can’t go wrong with Pine Valley. The valley itself is so beautiful, you’ll notice this as soon as you crest the road and see the valley with the sparsely built homes and cabins. It will become even more apparent as you begin walking along the Santa Clara River Walk.

Santa Clara River Walk

As you approach the reservoir itself you’ll see the newly completed bride that allows you easy access across the river to the reservoir. You could always get there before by walking over some stepping stones, but they were always a bit treacherous especially when packing a bunch of fishing gear.  Now you can simply stroll over the bridge and get over to the fishing deck.

If you continue up the path you’ll soon be in the area where you’re most likely to see some wildlife. The deer here are quite tame and don’t scare as easily as some.

There are two more bridges that they’ve installed to allow you to criss cross  over the river a number of times. The last bridge is right at the end of the trail at the final camping spot in Pine Valley.

pine valley fishing lake

This trail is truly on of the most beautiful trails in all of southern Utah. You’ll be walking along just a pretty river that’s making its way west, then you’ll get to see the reservoir that so many people just love. All the while being among the towering pines that make Pine Valley the great camping spot it is.

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Clay Hunter is an outdoor evangelist. He's spent considerable time in the outdoors cayoneering, hiking, backpacking and river rafting. He counts himself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to experience much of southern and eastern Utah through his travels.

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