This once sleepy corner of southwest Utah is fast becoming a destination spot

HILDALE —As water trickles down the towering sandstone, you feel your senses heighten. The contrast of deep-green foliage growing out of the unlikely desert landscape causes you to pause in awe.

You feel like you might be in Zion National Park, but you’re not.

This is not a national park, and this is not your average location. This is Water Canyon, and just one of the many hidden gems to be found in the twin cities that border Arizona and Utah known as Short Creek.

After having gone through a significant transformation, Short Creek, which includes Hildale and Colorado City, Arizona, is evolving into a recreationist’s destination, and here’s why you should experience it for yourself.

“Everything is getting improved,” Leanne Worwood, owner of Rockmoore Retreats, told St. George News. “Everything is coming into a new generation. Everything is just developing and becoming strong and the opportunities are here. I love this entire community.”

The Water Canyon trail features Zion-like views, Hildale, Utah, Aug. 28, 2021 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The Water Canyon trail features Zion-like views, Hildale, Utah, Aug. 28, 2021 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Explore the outdoors

With scenery that mimics Zion National Park without the crowds, hiking enthusiasts will not be disappointed.

“The hiking is incredible,” Shirlee Draper, director of operations at Cherish Families, said. “Water Canyon is probably as beautiful as The Narrows in Zion.”

Water Canyon is a 6.7-mile round-trip hike that features towering sandstone, slot canyons, a waterfall and a spot to drink spring water right out of the mountainside.

“They call this the backyard of Zion,” Worwood said. “We get visitors that come to go to Zion, but once they hike Water Canyon, they realize there are no crowds or parking problems. And it’s beautiful. It’s so gorgeous.”

Stroll through Maxwell Park

Located at 1750 Maxwell Parkway in Hildale, Maxwell Park originally was developed in the 1970s and went through a developmental revamp in 2016. Onsite water pumps offer free spring water for both visitors and residents.

The park is home to the Colorado City Music Festival – a venture started in 2017 by Tom Bennett of Sweet Salt Records and Dawn and Ken Black, who were both born and raised in Colorado City. 

The Colorado City Music Festival is held at Maxwell Park in Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tom Bennett, St. George News
The Colorado City Music Festival is held at Maxwell Park in Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tom Bennett, St. George News

“The Colorado Music Festival’s purpose is to help bring live music to the Short Creek community while showcasing the natural beauty of the area, providing an opportunity for nonlocals to see how amazing the community is,” Tom Bennett, founder of the Colorado Music Festival, said.

Adventure at Cottonwood Park

Located at 460 N. Central Street in Colorado City, Arizona, Cottonwood Park features a train, a large slide built into the mountainside, a playground and a zipline. Home to the Short Creek Fourth of July Celebration, the park features unique trees with large trunks for people of all ages to climb on. 

Buy cheese at Finney Farm

The dairy shop at Finney Farm in Hildale welcomes visitors, Dec. 22, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The dairy shop at Finney Farm in Hildale welcomes visitors, Hildale, Utah, Dec. 22, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

See local farming and purchase a variety of milk products produced on-site at Finney Farm, located at 1320 N. Canyon Street in Hildale. Owned by father and son duo Joseph and Taylor Barlow, the farm features a shop with raw milk, raw butter, raw cream, raw milk cheese, cream-top yogurt, small-batch frozen yogurt, cheese balls and more.

Experience the Edge of the World Brewery

Less than one mile across the Arizona border lies a popular local hangout and tourist hotspot, the Edge of The World Brewery, located at 70 N. Central Street in Colorado City. This microbrewery offers a calendar of events such as open mic night, ladies’ night, trivia night and live music.

Choose from eight house tap and four guest tap beers with a view between Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon.  

A variety of beers on tap at Edge of The World Brewery are shown, Colorado City, Arizona, July 19, 2022 | Photo via the Edge of The World Brewery Facebook page.
A variety of beers on tap at Edge of The World Brewery are shown, Colorado City, Arizona, July 19, 2022 | Photo via the Edge of The World Brewery Facebook page, St. George News

Visit a grocery store – wait, what?

While visiting a grocery store isn’t commonly seen on a vacation destination list, when it comes to Colorado City, it should be. 

“The grocery store itself will blow you away,” Draper said. “It’s a destination by itself.”

The Colorado City grocery store – Bees Marketplace – features an Arctic Circle, a Beans and Brews Coffeehouse and Ten45 – a lounge bar that serves a variety of beer, wine and seltzers. The bar includes outdoor patio seating with 360 views of the surrounding area and is located at 1045 S. Central Street, Colorado City.

Go for a wine tasting at Water Canyon Winery

Water Canyon Winery opened in Hildale six months ago, and owner Shane Tooke said they spent four years working on the property before its grand opening.

The 2-acre property, located at 1050 Field Ave. in Hildale, features an event center for private parties and weddings, 900 vines, luxury wine tastings, wine tours and more. 

The Water Canyon Winery features vineyards, tours and wine tastings, Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Shane Tooke, St. George News
The Water Canyon Winery features vineyards, tours and wine tastings, Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Shane Tooke, St. George News

“There are so many positive things going on in the area,” Tooke said. “We get people from all over the world that visit our winery and they absolutely love this area. They love the town. There’s a peaceful energy here that people can just feel and appreciate.”

Unique lodging

Tooke is also the owner of Water Canyon Resort – a 20-cabin sanctuary that encourages guests to reconnect with nature. The 500-square-foot modern cabins feature private yards, beautiful views and firepits. His brand new RV park, Water Canyon RV, is also set to open this week.

“It’s a beautiful area with unbelievable recreation, Tooke said about Hildale. “Not to take anything away from Springdale or Zion, but, you come out here and it’s kind of what it once was. You can get to the red rocks, there’s not the extreme amount of people, you get a peacefulness with recreating that’s kind of lost other places.”

A rental at the Water Canyon Resort is shown, Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Shane Tooke, St. George News
A rental at the Water Canyon Resort is shown, Hildale, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Shane Tooke, St. George News

Among the many “glamping” and Airbnb options, you’ll find Zion View Camping. Glamping refers to a type of glamorized camping.

Located on a hilltop overlooking Zion and the Canaan Mountains, the glamping experience includes tents and covered wagons. King tents are 215 square feet and feature a king bed, a shower and bathroom, a grill and a table.

Fascinated by the area’s religious history and Warren Jeffs? Worwood said what was originally built as an obedience test to Jeff’s followers has since been renovated into Zion’s Most Wanted Hotel. Named after Jeffs, who was once on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, the property features a variety of spacious rooms, including one and two-bedroom suites and is located at 240 E. Utah Ave., Hildale.

In 2021, a Hildale A-frame cabin owned by Lee and Mindy Barlow was dubbed the most-liked Airbnb on Instagram. The Zion EcoCabin features a convertible door and views of the southern side of Zion National Park.  

The outside of Zion's Most Wanted Hotel is shown, Hildale, Utah, Dec. 22, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The outside of Zion’s Most Wanted Hotel is shown, Hildale, Utah, Dec. 22, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

More to come

Draper said among the homes being renovated, new homes being built, a new medical clinic and new schools and sports programs, the community also has plans to open a museum, a community center and a nature center.

“There are some really amazing things happening,” Draper said. “The amount of change that’s happened in that community over the last six years almost cannot be quantified and it’s almost unbelievable. From what it was in 2016 to what it is today, it’s as miraculous as a phoenix rising from the ashes.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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