6 Things to Do for the Wellness Lover in St. George, UT

Here’s a list of some of the top things I recommend checking out if you ever travel to St. George, Utah.

#1 - Zion National Park

Zion National Park was my first true national park visit and I am in complete aw of this beautiful place. Spending an entire day here helped me experience a number of spiritual teachings. The first being that we are truly the microcosm to the macrocosm. I felt this just by being in the vastness of the park. Second, was how important it is to be fully present and mindful of everything around me. I was able to practice this while I was on a 5-hour hike through The Narrows. With the breathtaking high canyon walls, it was hard to not want to be present. Third, I was re-taught that the things I stress about at home are not as serious as I make them to be and understood the mantra I always repeat to myself during my yoga practice, “You have everything you need in this moment,” just a bit more. Last but not least, Zion contained a beautiful contrast of colors, rock formations spanning more than 10 feet tall, and trees growing sideways. I was once again reminded that there is so much more to see in the world.

My recommendation: Hike The Narrows

The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. You will be walking upstream through the Virgin River between walls that span over a thousand feet tall. The hike can definitely be an all-day hike depending on the speed of your group and whether or not you choose to go to the furthest point that visitors are allowed. You can start at the Temple of Sinawava (which you can access via the Riverside Walk), continue upstream, and then turn around and hike back down to your starting point. You will need close toes shoes (water hiking shoes are preferred) and a hiking stick. The high canyon walls can create a cooler atmosphere versus other areas of Zion Canyon, so make sure to bring layers. You should also pack yourself a lunch and snacks to eat mid-way through.

#2 - The Hiking

St. George has some of the best hiking and biking trails in Utah, amongst many other activities, so you are constantly inspired to spend time outdoors.

My recommendation: Hike the Cove Wash West Trail

We only went on one local hike during our trip but it is one I would highly recommend! The trail is 4 miles in length and classified as a moderate/easy hike which I would agree with. For me, the hike felt easy but long for what I was used to. During this hike, you will get spectacular views of the Mojave desert as well as the red mountains. You can find more information here.

#3 - Red Mountains

I mean, just look at this picture! The red mountains are by far my favorite thing about St. George. I’ve never seen anything like it. When we starting getting closer to our resort and these mountains popped into our view, I couldn’t take my eyes off them. There’s something about the contrast of the red sandstone and variations of green that I just love.

My recommendation: A bike ride through Kayenta

In order to get the best view of the red mountains, I would recommend biking through the town of Kayenta. We went on a guided bike ride that was coordinated through our resort. Our guide took us on a 6-mile gradual uphill ride from the town of Ivins (where our resort is located) to Kayenta which is a small desert community with homes similar to the picture above. We stopped at Xetava Gardens which is a coffee house and gift shop that also has the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. There is an option to browse through the art galleries and stores in the center but they weren’t open when we had arrived. We then biked the 6-miles back to our resort. The total distance is 12-miles but definitely doable for someone new to bike riding.

#4 - Red Mountain Resort & Spa

There are so many great things to say about Red Mountain Resort. My boyfriend discovered and picked out this place for our vacation, so I cannot take credit for finding this gem. The resort is beautiful as it is, of course, blended into and situated right next to the red mountains. It has a very calm, quiet, and peaceful atmosphere. We arrived right at the end of the summer so there were only a few guests at the resort. We were told the busy season usually begins post labor day. They have a daily schedule of activities with plenty of free activities ranging from offsite hiking to kettlebell classes to pm journaling. There are three swimming pools (two outdoor and one indoor), three whirlpools, a gym, and a spa. The staff is amazing and truly goes above and beyond for anything you may need. They not only accommodated me but often suggested to have the chef cook extra food items for me when I couldn’t eat what was offered at the buffet. They even made a to-go breakfast on our departure day because our flight was at 6 am. We will definitely be back!

My recommendations:

Ultimate Essential Retreat:

We selected the Ultimate Essential Retreat package. This package included all meals and $150 resort credit for four nights of your stay that can be used on any activity or spa treatment. The room that came with this package was a bit small but we didn’t mind it that much since we spent most of our time outside. Find more information here.

The labyrinth:

A labyrinth is a walking meditation path in a circular formation and usually with one entrance in and out. It represents our path to our own self and then back out again into the world. There is a labyrinth located at the back side of the resort (pictured left above). I didn’t get to it until my last day at the resort but I wish I had begun each morning with a silent walk through it.

Canyon Counter:

The Canyon Counter is a take out cafe located just to the side of the Canyon Breeze Restaurant. It’s perfect for on-the-go meals or if you need to eat during off-dining times. They have a variety of delicious food but my go-to item was the turkey bacon avocado sandwich with sweet potato fries. It was addicting! My boyfriend and I kept craving it when we got back and eased our way back to our real world with the closest replicas we could find back at home.

#5 - Yoga in Snow Canyon

For me, a wellness adventure wouldn’t be complete without yoga! Red Mountain Resort offers a wide range of yoga classes including anything from yoga for better sleep to yoga flow style classes. There is also a bin outside of the wellness center full of mats and blankets that you can take and use outside to do your own practice throughout the resort.

My recommendation: Yoga in Snow Canyon

Snow Canyon is a state park located less than 10-minutes from Red Mountain Resort. It is comprised of sand dunes, volcanic landforms, red sandstone cliffs, and rocks in twisted layers. The picture above doesn’t even do it justice to how beautiful it really is. I signed up with the resort to do an evening yoga session in Snow Canyon. Lucky for me, I was the only one to sign up that day and ended up doing a private yoga session with a wonderful teacher named Ian. I was guided through a 60-minute vinyasa flow style class where I was able to get some one-on-one attention to strengthen my practice all while the sun was setting. I did my best to be extremely present and mindful with my surroundings whether I was in downward facing dog looking at the mountains behind me or savasana. It was an experience I will never forget.

#6 - The Food

Since we chose an all inclusive package for our stay in Utah, we ate most of our meals at the Canyon Breeze Restaurant at Red Mountain Resort. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style and dinner was a sit down, menu-option meal. I enjoyed the food at the resort but it wasn’t as delicious as some of the restaurants that we ventured to off to. I also ate whatever I wanted at the outside restaurants.

My recommendations:

The Painted Pony Restaurant:

The Painted Pony had the best food of my entire trip. It is a casual fine dining restaurant serving contemporary southwestern cuisine. The restaurant is located in the center of town right off a Main street in a cozy little plaza that hosts farmer’s markets on the weekends. We sat outside and enjoyed the nice warm weather of Utah. For appetizers, I ordered the phyllo baked brie (sooo good!) and mixed green salad and for my main entree, I had the special of then night which was sea bass over a bed of white rice and topped with curry sauce. I had eaten everything off my three plates and was happily stuffed by the end of the night. If you have time for only one restaurant, The Painted Pony would be my suggestion! Check out the restaurant here.

Cliffside Restaurant:

The Cliffside Restaurant has by far the best view of the city as it sits directly on a cliff overlooking the valley of St. George. There is a also a beautiful and newly renovated hotel inn right next to the restaurant. We loved the view so much that we went to dine for dinner and then lunch on our last day. I wasn’t too fond of my dinner to share as a recommendation but for lunch I ordered the fried chicken wrap with french fries. I’m sure you can tell my healthy eating started to go down hill by this point. The wrap was really great! It was still warm outside so I ordered a large lemonade and mixed a little in my water to give it some extra flavor. Check out the restaurant here.