Sand Hollow, Snow Canyon rank as top state parks for 3rd consecutive year

ST. GEORGE — It’s “no surprise” that Sand Hollow State Park ranks first in Utah’s state parks, with Snow Canyon coming in fourth, officials at the Utah Division of State Parks said. 

A view of the Pine Valley Mountains from Sand Hollow State Park, Utah, March 12, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News

“All of Utah’s hidden gems have become crown jewels — the word’s out about us now,” Devan Chavez, Utah Division of State Parks spokesman, told St. George News. “So it’s up to us to encourage responsible visitation.” 

He added nearly 10 million people trekked to Utah’s 46 state parks in 2022. Sand Hollow has held the top spot for three years in a row.

“It’s due to Sand Hollow’s location and the heat of St. George,” Chavez said. “And you get a lot of people from Las Vegas, Nevada, Arizona and even as far as California, all traveling through and looking for places to explore. Not to mention the big local visitation it gets, so it’s no surprise.” 

Even though some visitors get swimmer’s itch from the shallow water near the shore, it doesn’t deter visitation. Chavez said over 1 million people have visited Sand Hollow for three consecutive years. The park’s proximity to the Mighty 5 national parks may also play a part in its popularity.  

“Sand Hollow is one of the bigger drivers to state parks in the state,” Chavez said. “The visitation is still holding strong, and we didn’t plummet back down to those pre-pandemic numbers.”

The other state park in Washington County that was in the top 10 list of popular parks is Snow Canyon State Park. 

Snow Canyon State Park sunrise, Ivins, Utah, unspecified date | Photo courtesy of Sara Edwards/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

“Snow Canyon has a special place in my heart from when I was living there,” Chavez said. “What makes Snow Canyon so special is a number of different things. The scenic beauty of Snow Canyon is second to none in many places.”

Chavez said if Snow Canyon State Park were in almost any other state in the U.S., it would be that state’s leading tourism draw. He said that whichever state the canyon was in, all of the tourism ads would be based around it.

“We’re just so lucky here in Utah that we can have a Snow Canyon State Park just be one of the many things to go and enjoy,” Chavez said. “St George has four state parks right there within driving distance — Quail Creek, Gunlock, Sand Hollow and Snow Canyon — not to mention the whole Zion National Park and greater Zion area. I think a lot of times that locals and even people from northern Utah can forget just how spectacular Snow Canyon is.”

There’s also a significant impact of the Ironman World Championships being staged in St. George, as well as other races and events that pass through Southern Utah state parks. Chavez said the reason why those parks are picked is because of the unbelievable beauty and amenities they offer.

Despite the high attendance at the parks in 2022, Chevez said there was a 14.1% decrease from the record-setting 11.6 million visitors in 2021. Overall, in 2021, state parks had over 11.6 million visitors. He said in 2022, state parks saw 9.97 million visitors.

The drop in attendance was most likely due to high gas prices, inflation and some international travel restrictions. He added now that everything else is back open in the world, it may have affected visitation in Utah.

“We don’t necessarily ask every single visitor why they came or reach out to those that maybe didn’t come back and say, ‘Why didn’t you come?’ So we’re forced to listen to anecdotal evidence,” Chavez said. “We are talking to not only our visitors but other state agencies like the Utah Tourism Department.”

His department has learned there were record-setting visitation numbers during the pandemic. Chavez said visitation jumped from 7.9 million visitors in 2019 to 10.5 million in 2020. Then it climbed back up by 11.6% and 2021. Even though attendance was lower in 2022, he expects the numbers to rise again in 2023

“Those numbers were a lot influenced by the pandemic that we had going on,” Chavez said. “A lot of the surrounding states didn’t have the amenities and gems that Utah offers. And Utah never fully closed during that entire pandemic. There were times when we were under some county restrictions for short periods, but state parks never fully closed their doors.”

Rainbow at Sand Hollow State Park, Sand Hollow, Utah, Nov. 1, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Nathan Hanson and Scenic Utah, St. George News

Snow Canyon spokesperson Kristen Comella said in an email to St. George News she is anticipating a busy spring season, which typically runs now through early to mid-June.

“Once summer temperatures kick in, visitation will slow until early September when milder temperatures will bring another large influx of visitors,” Comella said. “Our busy fall season runs through the end of November.”

Contributing factors to a busy spring season at Snow Canyon State Park include slightly lower gas prices, lots of snow in the higher elevations and cold water temperatures in the surrounding reservoirs.

Snow Canyon has the following tips for visitors:  

  • Avoid peak times and days, which are Saturday and Sunday between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. 
  • Visit during non-peak hours of 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 4-10 p.m.
  • Carpool with friends or family.
  • Avoid weekend crowds by visiting during the week.
  • Be flexible and patient. Park in designated lots only. If the lot and hike you want to access are full, park in one of the other designated lots and explore a new trail.

Comella said to come prepared to visit the park, including bringing a minimum of 1 liter of water per person.

“As temperatures increase, visitors should drink about 1 liter per hour,” Comella said. “Hats, sunscreen, sturdy shoes or boots and snacks are also advised. If you are hiking alone, inform friends or family of your plans. Cellphone coverage in the park is limited, so come prepared.”

She asks that the public be respectful of the park when visiting by:

  • Staying on designated trails in the park. This helps minimize impacts to plant and wildlife communities and also prevents the creation of illegal paths, which can lead to visitors getting lost or ending up in an unexpected location. 
  • Respecting park features: Graffiti isn’t permitted, nor is the collection/removal of rocks, plants and wildlife.
  • Observing the 25 mph speed limit throughout the park. 
  • Following posted speed limits to protect hikers, cyclists and other park guests, and help reduce the chance of hitting/killing animals that call the canyon “home.”

“By leaving things as they found them, visitors can protect the park and give other visitors a chance to enjoy the same feature,” Comella said. “Visitors should also slow down and enjoy their time in the canyon.”

Visitors should remember many parks reach capacity, Chavez said, adding that this year, some campground amenity updates will occur, including Quail Lake State Park.

“I highly encourage everyone to keep their eyes open at the parks in the Southern Utah area and across the entire state,” he said. “We have new campgrounds and some new parks coming online. So thank you all for your patience and please continue to visit responsibly and stay safe.” 

Chavez said four other water-based parks also landed in the top 10 again in 2022, Bear Lake, Deer Creek, Jordanelle and Willard Bay are frequently among the top state park attractions every year.

Utah’s most popular state parks in 2022

  1. Sand Hollow State Park (Washington County): 1,089,086
  2. Dead Horse Point State Park (Grand County): 1,069,572
  3. Antelope Island State Park (Davis County): 885,078
  4. Snow Canyon State Park (Washington County): 735,328
  5. Jordanelle State Park (Wasatch County): 712,632
  6. Deer Creek State Park (Wasatch County): 587,053
  7. Wasatch Mountain State Park (Wasatch County): 574,185
  8. Willard Bay State Park (Box Elder County): 540,910
  9. Bear Lake State Park (Rich County): 539,173
  10. Goblin Valley State Park (Emery County): 408,342

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

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!