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With few crowds and 2 million acres of land to explore, what’s not to love?
Key Points
- Dixie National Forest spans nearly 2 million acres with hoodoos, red rock landscapes, alpine lakes, forests, and far fewer visitors than nearby Bryce Canyon National Park.
- Highlights include Hells Backbone Road, the Cascade Falls Trail, dispersed camping, fishing, scenic drives, and year-round outdoor recreation.
- Every season offers a different experience, from cool summer escapes and golden fall aspens to snowy winter scenery and colorful spring wildflowers.
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of Utah’s most iconic destinations—but its popularity means visitors often have to contend with crowded overlooks, full parking lots, and busy hiking trails, especially during the busy seasons of summer and fall. Just beyond the park’s boundary, however, lies a quieter alternative.
Covering nearly 2 million acres across southern Utah, Dixie National Forest has many of the same red rock landscapes, hoodoo formations, scenic drives, and hiking opportunities as Bryce Canyon, along with alpine lakes, high mountain forests, and far fewer crowds. Stretching from desert canyons to peaks topping 11,000 feet, Dixie is one of Utah’s most geographically diverse public lands, making it easy to experience several different landscapes in a single trip. But what truly sets it apart is the freedom to explore.
“You’re not just stopping at an iconic viewpoint before moving on,” says Matthew Podolinsky, Utah program coordinator at the National Forest Foundation. “You can follow a quiet trail, camp beneath an unbelievably dark night sky, fish a mountain stream, or discover a place that feels entirely your own.”
Here’s what you need to know before planning a trip to Dixie National Forest.
What To Do
With two million sprawling acres of land, the possibilities feel truly endless at Dixie National Forest.
“You can spend the morning hiking among colorful hoodoos and sandstone cliffs, fish for trout in mountain lakes or streams, take a scenic drive across the high plateaus, or camp beside a quiet reservoir,” says Podolinsky. “The forest also offers excellent mountain biking, horseback riding, boating, wildlife viewing, and fishing, with roughly 500 miles of fishable streams and around 90 lakes. [Since] the landscape changes dramatically from one part of the forest to another, every day can feel like you’re exploring somewhere completely different.”
For those looking to trade Bryce Canyon’s busy overlooks for a quieter drive, Podolinsky recommends Hells Backbone Road. The scenic, 35-mile dirt and gravel route winds through Dixie National Forest between Escalante and Boulder, passing some of southern Utah’s most spectacular scenery. While the drive includes a few narrow stretches and sheer gorge cliffs that aren’t for the faint of heart, those willing to make the journey will be rewarded with unforgettable sights.
If you’re looking to hit the trails, Cascade Falls is a great short hike to add to your itinerary. This 1.1-mile out-and-back trail near Navajo Lake leads to a unique waterfall where water flows underground through a cave system before emerging from the red sandstone cliffs. The trail ends at an overlook with views of the cascading falls and, on a clear day, you can see Zion National Park in the distance.
For those looking to extend their visit, consider staying overnight in the park. Dixie National Forest has developed campgrounds such as those at Navajo Lake Campground, but it also allows dispersed camping. Unlike national parks, where camping is often limited to designated campgrounds with reservations that often need to be booked months in advance, national forests typically have more flexibility with where you can pitch a tent.
Best Time To Visit
One of the best things about Dixie National Forest is that there really isn’t a bad time to visit. Since the forest encompasses desert landscapes to mountains, each season brings something different.
Summer is an especially nice time to visit, since much of Dixie National Forest sits at a high elevation, making it significantly cooler than the surrounding desert.
“Because much of the forest sits between 8,000 and 11,000 feet in elevation, it’s often 20 to 30 degrees cooler than southern Utah’s lower elevations,” says Podolinsky. “There are plenty of dispersed camp spots to set up a hammock, have a picnic, and enjoy the cool summer air.”
Fall is another exceptional time to visit, especially for those hoping to see the forest’s famed aspen groves.
“Fall is one of my favorite times to visit Dixie National Forest,” Podolinsky says. “The aspens turn brilliant gold across the high-elevation plateaus, temperatures are comfortable for hiking, and you’ll find far fewer crowds than nearby national parks. The forest to the east of Cedar City near Cedar Breaks is particularly colorful, as is Boulder Mountain just north of Boulder, Utah.”
Personally, one of my favorite times to visit the area is in the winter. Seeing fresh snow dusted across the red hoodoos and sandstone cliffs creates an incredible contrast that feels completely different from the classic summer views of southern Utah. The downside is that many trails are slick and icy, so you have to keep your hiking plans fairly limited. Even so, the snowy red-rock scenery alone made our trip memorable and provided a quieter, more peaceful way to experience southern Utah.
Lastly, spring brings a different kind of atmosphere, with wildflowers beginning to bloom, rushing streams swelling with melting snow, and wildlife becoming more active after the colder months. While some higher-elevation areas may still have snow early in the season, spring is a great time to enjoy cooler hiking temperatures and watch the forest come back to life.
How To Get There
If you’re flying in, the closest major airport depends on which part of the Dixie National Forest you plan to explore. I recommend flying into the Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), which sits near the forest’s western edge. Having a car is essential during your visit. If you’re planning a summer or fall visit, it’s a good idea to book local accommodations well in advance, as these are some of the busiest times of year to explore southern Utah. And if you’re looking for a gorgeous drive, Utah’s Scenic Byway 12, runs through the southernmost part of the national forest.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
