Owens Loop

This easy to moderately difficult trail provides nice views of St. George, the Red Hills golf course, and surrounding areas.  It is a very popular trail and ideal for families, bikers, and individual hikers.  It can be accessed from two trailheads, the Brooks Nature Park trailhead via the Brooks Nature Trail and the Pioneer Rim trailhead and City Creek Trail step-over off the Red Hills Parkway:

  1. The Brooks Nature Trail begins at a small city park and trailhead at the north end of Main Street in St. George.  From this trailhead, the round trip hike is about 2.8 miles in length with an initial elevation gain one-way of about 350 feet and a total up and down elevation change of about 1340 feet.

    The trail merges with the Owens Loop trail a half mile from the trailhead.  From the park, it is a single track, mostly dirt path to where it joins the trail from the Pioneer Rim trailhead.

  2. From the step-over across the highway from the Pioneer Rim trailhead, visitors hike the City Creek Trail along an old sandy and then rocky 2-track to the T-junction with the Owens Loop Trail.   The total length of this route is about 2.5 miles round trip with an elevation gain one-way of about 40 feet and a total up and down elevation change of about 740 feet.

From the junction with the City Creek Trail, the Owens Loop Trail continues west to the loop overlooks.  The trail at this point is mostly slick-rock with interesting red rock formations and a few steep drop-offs. This trail section contains a few areas with sloping, rocky stretches that can pose problems for less capable hikers and bikers and which cause it to be rated as moderately difficult.  The trail lies entirely on lands owned by the City of St. George.

Note:  Reconstruction of the Red Hills Parkway in 2012 will cut off access from the Pioneer Hills trailhead parking area.  Access to the Owen’s Loop trail will be limited to that provided from the Brook’s Nature Park.  Upon completion of the reconstruction, visitors may use the Pioneer Hills parking area and reach the City Creek trail stepover through a Parkway underpass to the north of the trailhead.