Monday March 3: A Day in St George, Utah

The boys left for a day of golfing at The Ledges and Sand Hollow while Jody and I found Snow Canyon State Park just outside of St George.  Stunning red rock scenery.  We toured the park and decided on a 3.5 mile trail called Three Ponds.  The park has a campground and a paved bike trail. The weather was in the upper 50s with sun and blue sky.  Great day for a walk.  I took a bazillion pictures so feel free to skip along. We spent 2.5 hours looking for the Three Ponds. If it wasn't for Jody's perseverance to keep looking around another bend, I would have given up! There were three "ponds", but more like a large puddle with a trickle stream flowing into it and two reflective wet spots in the canyon cracks. The trail was rated "moderate" with a few steep knee challenges, lots of deep sand in the washes and spots over old lava. I lost the trail at one point since it was over the petrified sand dunes without markings. 

Snow Canyon Trail head map.  There were very few lizards 

in the park since they had all been captured for pets.

Now there is a ban on taking them.

Snow Canyon is a 7400 acre park filled with lava flows and 

soaring pillars of sandstone.

A mixture of rock formations

Outside the Canyon

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Electric Horseman
and Jeremiah Johnson" were filmed in this canyon.

We were surprised to find green moss growing on a rock.

I think these formations look like elephant skin.
Lava once covered the tops but over time, pieces
have fallen away due to erosion.

The black is chunks of lava

Jody on the trail

Looking to the back of the canyon.  The Three Ponds trail
took us to the bottom of those white cliffs.

Though in the distance, I believe this is a red tail hawk.

Water erosion in the sandstone.  What a fun place for
children to play!

Sandstone towers

Just more of the bright red rock.

At last!! One of the 3 ponds

Looking from the smaller ponds to the "bigger" one

  

Looking at the "pond" from a few
feet away.

Cholla plant

Prickly pear buds.  Would love to see cactus in blossom.

Look down at the canyon service road.

At the look out, we climbed up on chunks of lava for pictures.

Another cave among the rocks formed by water

The red rock contrasted with the black lava

Ancient lava flow.

After our "hike" in the canyon, we drove through a ritzy section of St
George.  This was local art at one of the round abouts.

In town, we were looking for the Visitors Information Center and
found Brigham Young's winter home.  We took an inside tour of
this house and were given highlights of Mormon life in St George.
In those  days, men were generally much shorter (around 5'8") but
Brigham was over 6'.  His favorite chairs were specially made
to accommodate his frame.  The wife that lived in this home was
quite petite so her chairs and the door knobs were closer to the
floor.

The water feature at our hotel.