Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Nineteen numbered posts run the length of this trail, and there is a printed guide at the kiosk that explains what each one is looking at. That turns a 45 minute walk into something closer to a lesson, which is why it works so well with kids who are old enough to read. You start on the paved Whiptail path, cut through a rock passage with walls streaked in lichen, moss and desert varnish, and come back along sandstone ledges. Wear shoes with grip; parts of it are uneven rock.
The Trail
Sampler platter of Snow Canyon's lava and sandstone.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Easy)
Water bottle, sunscreen, hat, snacks, comfortable shoes.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Gunlock Reservoir (Fishing, 8 mi) · Tawa Ponds / Razor Ridge (St. George area) (Fishing, 10 mi) · Baker Reservoir (Fishing, 12 mi) · Red Cliffs Campground (Camping, 13 mi)
More hikes nearby: Petrified Dunes (Hike, 1 mi) · Kanarra Falls (Hike, 34 mi) · Watchman Trail (Hike, 36 mi) · Emerald Pools (Hike, 38 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Hidden Pinyon Overlook hike?
- 1.5 miles round trip with 167 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Hidden Pinyon Overlook?
- Easy. Kid rating: 4 out of 5.
- When should I hike Hidden Pinyon Overlook?
- Best season: Oct-April.
- Why hike Hidden Pinyon Overlook?
- Hidden Pinyon is the interpretive trail at Snow Canyon: nineteen marked stops with a guide booklet at the trailhead kiosk. It loops past sagebrush flats, boulder passages and a short canyon, with the Petrified Dunes and white cliffs in view. Hiking only, dogs leashed, and the park is open 6am to 10pm.