Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Snow Canyon has plenty of trails, but this is the one where the surface itself is the attraction. Route finding is by iron domes with arrows stamped on them rather than a worn path, so kids get to do the navigating. Look in the shallow potholes after a rain and you will find fairy shrimp and tadpoles living in them, and look at your feet for moqui marbles, iron-rich concretions that weather out of the sandstone. The park rates it moderate for the steep slopes and lack of shade.
The Trail
Frozen waves of orange sandstone made for scrambling.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Moderate)
2 liters water, trail shoes, sun layer, snacks, small first-aid kit.
Difficulty follows Utah State Parks’s own rating for this trail (source).
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Gunlock Reservoir (Fishing, 7 mi) · Tawa Ponds / Razor Ridge (St. George area) (Fishing, 11 mi) · Baker Reservoir (Fishing, 11 mi) · Red Cliffs Campground (Camping, 13 mi)
More hikes nearby: Hidden Pinyon Overlook (Hike, 1 mi) · Kanarra Falls (Hike, 34 mi) · Watchman Trail (Hike, 37 mi) · Emerald Pools (Hike, 38 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Petrified Dunes hike?
- 1.2 miles round trip with 150 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Petrified Dunes?
- Moderate. Kid rating: 5 out of 5.
- When should I hike Petrified Dunes?
- Best season: Oct-April.
- Why hike Petrified Dunes?
- Because you spend the walk on bare petrified sand dunes instead of a dirt trail, which is the whole draw. Markers are iron domes with arrows, water fills the potholes seasonally, and the park keeps it hike-only. Skip it in summer heat; the posted season of October through April is honest.