Tag: 2013

Sand Hollow Aquatic Center, St. George Utah

 There’s nothing quite so nice as cooling off in the pool after a hot day of hiking. So, on our recent trip to Utah’s Snow Canyon State Park, we took an afternoon off to go play in the water. 
I was impressed with St. George’s swimming facility the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center.  In addition to multiple lap lanes, complete with handicap access, there was a separate play pool with a water slide, lily pad cross, tiny tot area, and whirl pool.

Big E and little g loved the spray toys and wading area, and I loved that they provided complimentary life jackets for children under three.
The admission price of $5.50 youth or $6.00 adult for non St. George residents was a little steep for a swimming pool, but once I saw all the different activities inside, I felt it was worth the cost.
 I was also impressed with the family locker area. As a mother of young kids I’m always looking for the easiest way to manage bathrooms in public, and often traditional women’s restrooms are just not as well equipped for the little ones. The showers in the family area were like walk in closets, with floor to ceiling opaque doors and hooks for towels and clothing.

You’d think with all that I could’ve kept little g from exposing herself, but I have to admit there were a few naked baby sightings that day.

We had a great afternoon at the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center in St. George, and if you’re planning a trip to St. George Utah with kids, it’s a great place to go.

Utah State Park: Snow Canyon, White Rocks Amphitheater

Another great hike for kids is Utah State Park: Snow Canyon’s White Rocks Amphitheater trail. The longer White Rocks trail continues from the same trail head, and is approximately four miles, so make sure you follow the signs for the Amphitheater. The trail head for White Rocks Amphitheater (and trail) is less than a mile past the northern park entrance. Just look for the gravel pullout on the west side of the road.

The trail is moderately difficult, alternating between rocky and sandy terrain. But it’s mostly flat, which is a blessing if you have a baby on your back, and it’s less than a mile round trip. Like all good trails for kids, it has a great destination – a natural rock amphitheater – which entertained Big E for an hour with all the scrambling around and chasing other kids.

Snow Canyon State Park boasts beautiful red rocks formations, black lava rocks like at Cinder Cone and an a swath of white rocks all in one place. The White Rocks Amphitheater brings the contrasts of these three colors into dramatic focus. I never thought rocks would be so interesting, and to find such stark colors dotting the landscape all in the same place is truly amazing. If you’re looking for a quick hike for the tots, I would recommend White Rocks Amphitheater.

Utah State Park: Snow Canyon, Petrified Dunes

One of our favorite hikes at Snow Canyon State Park was the Petrified Dunes. When you think of hiking red rock terrain, this is what comes to mind.  Stair like sandstone formations create endless hills and valleys to explore. Tenatious desert plants, like sagebush and cactus, cling to life in the crevices. Lizards dart across the way and the world around you is the color of fire.

The trail from the parking area to the dunes is short, sandy and clearly marked.  Once you’re on the dunes, however, the rock surface hides any semblance of a trail, so we just picked a direction and climbed a while. Big E needed help up the steeper sections of rock, but did great over all. Another mom commented, “He’s like a mountain goat, the way he scrambles up the rocks.”

Little g was held by me constantly, mostly because she cried when I tried to put her in the hiking pack or down to walk on her own. The hike is only about a mile round trip and was easy, even with young children, assuming your young children don’t go to the very top of the dunes. If your preschooler is anything like Big E, however, you will be climbing to the very top. He wasn’t about to let the big kids have all the fun. I was nervous about him slipping off from way up high, but luckily his aunt held tight to his hand the whole way.

We visited the Petrified Dunes in the evening, to enjoy the sunset and the cooler temperatures. The watercolor sky was truly a sight to behold. The red rocks lit up with golden light until night slowly overtook it all. It was a beautiful scene, but once we were plunged into darkness the absence of a marked trail was scary.

After the light faded, scrambling on the rocks was a whole different adventure. I was grateful for the key chain flashlight hooked to my keys, and for the headlamps of my fellow hikers.  Without them, I would’ve fallen several times with little g in tow. The trail was completely lost to us in the dark. We moved slowly down the rocks, choosing our foot placement carefully. We walked in the general direction of the road, took a few detours, but eventually found a safe route back to our cars.
Even in the dark, the trail was fun. So fun, in fact, that we returned during daylight hours to explore even more.  Snow Canyon State Park Petrified Dunes hike was a fun place to play with kids of all ages.

Utah State Park: Snow Canyon Cinder Cone

After a morning playing in the sand, we headed back to camp. Big E had peed his pants at the Snow Canyon Sand Dunes, so after cleaning up that mess, we got on with our day.

The thing Big E liked best about our trip to Snow Canyon State Park was playing with friends.  We went on the trip with my sister-in-law’s family and various relatives and friends of hers.  Between all the families we had a gaggle of kids, all more entertaining for Big E than I could ever be. Since he was happily entertained, and my sister-in-law was there to watch him, I left with little g to explore the Cinder Cone hike.

This hike is described as difficult, with steep slopes and loose, uneven surfaces. It’s also described as only 1.5 miles so I figured I could handle it, even with little g in the hiking pack.  If you’re headed on this hike, be aware that you pass the north entrance to Snow Canyon and drive about a mile north on Highway 18 to get to the trail head.  And I use the term trail head loosely, it’s actually just a gravelly pull off on the side of the highway, marked by a sign.

We started on the trail, enjoying the breeze, butterflies and wildflowers.  Spring truly is the perfect time to visit Southern Utah.  The beauty of the red rocks can actually be enjoyed, because you aren’t sweating a gallon of water an hour while trying to make your tots happy.  In the summer, with highs regularly above 100 degrees, it’s just not a fun vacation. In the spring, it’s a beautifully stark landscape with amazing views and unique activities.

Cinder Cone trail winds through blackened lava rock to the backside of an ancient volcano. It’s been inactive for thousands of years (I don’t actually know how long it’s been dormant, but it’s been a heck of a long time) but it still left its mark. Sharp, black lava rock surrounds the cinder cone, and can be seen in several places in Snow Canyon State Park.  Because of this I would suggest not falling while you’re hiking. Seriously.  It would hurt.
Also, be careful with your footing, they weren’t lying about the uneven surfaces.  I was nervous about falling with little g in the pack, so on the steepest parts I asked my hiking companions for a hand, literally.  It was reminiscent of a gentleman taking a ladie’s hand to help her out of a carriage, only instead of a light touch and graceful moves, I clung for balance with my sweaty palms and unstable footwork. 
From the top of Cinder Cone trail, you can see the indentation of the cone, and hike into its sulfuric stench if desired.  OK, I don’t know if it’s truly sulfuric, but there was an odd smell at one point that was slightly reminiscent of personal body odor.  I blame the ancient volcano, not the pools of sweat under my arms from hiking uphill with thirty extra pounds on my back. Regardless, it’s cool to say you’ve been inside a real volcano, so you might as well.
I could see some amazing views from the top of the cone.  The city of Enterprise, UT is located to the north, and the white and red cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park loom to the west and south.  I would suggest NOT taking tots on this particular trail unless they are strapped to your back.  Little g did great, she especially enjoyed chasing butterflies at the top, but I doubt Big E could’ve handled the climb on his own. Older children, even as young as nine, would be fine with a little help from an adult.
The hike back down was more treacherous than the hike up.  Part of the treachery was the fear of falling and impaling myself on the dark rock shards. The other, more insistent part, was the constant wailing of little g, who hated getting back into the pack after the freedom of chasing butterflies. I ended up taking her out of the pack half way through and carrying her in my arms the rest of the way. 
Back at the truck I realized the cause of her discomfort was not the pack, but a stinky diaper.  What was with my tots and their bodily functions that day? At least the hike was short and I had a clean diaper in the car this time.