Utah Travel Guide
The first Mormon settlers called the state’s southwestern region “Utah’s Dixie,” as during the Civil War they intended to grow cotton there and sell it to the North. The crop didn’t take, but St. George sprouted into the region’s business and cultural center, providing a major gateway to nearby Zion National Park. Today no fewer than a dozen courses thread through the vermillion sandstone to form the Red Rock Golf Trail .
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY
Unlike its southwestern neighbor, Utah has no gaming. The Inn at Entrada instead bets the house on luxurious accommodations—and wins. Set against striking crimson cliffs, the lodge offers a range of suites and casitas decked out in a contemporary Southwest motif, full-service spa and access to the area’s best golf courses. Best of all, it’s just minutes from Zion National Park and other superb outdoor activities. Those include exclusive access to the private Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club. Ranked as the top year-round golf course in Utah by Golf Digest, this Johnny Miller Signature Design courses through 7,085 yards of ancient black lava flows and meandering streams.
For other stay-and-play options in the area, check into the Red Rock Golf Trail, a complimentary service comprising 10 stellar golf courses, including Sunbrook, Sand Hollow and Valderra Golf at The Ledges, as well as a prime and stunning example of why many consider southern Utah “Color Country,” the 7,029-yard Keith Foster designed Coral Canyon Golf Course blends seamlessly into pastel reds and oranges of the surrounding rock formations, its fairways and sightlines echoing the shapes of the land.
A similar description fits Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane. Surrounded by Zion National Park and the Pine Valley Mountain range, Jeff Hardin’s 6,383-yard layout inhabits one of the most picturesque and beautiful locations in the world.
With so much golf in balmy St. George, why tempt the weather and drive a few hours north to get in another round? Two reasons: The Ranches Golf Club and Thanksgiving Point Golf Club.
Architect Ron Garl carved The Ranches from 220 arces of native prairie in Eagle Mountain, an hour southwest of Salt Lake City. Featuring a Western theme, the 7,050-yard offers views in every direction: Lake Mountain to the south, the Wasatch Front to the east, Oquirrh Mountains to the west and Utah Lake to the south.
Thanksgiving Point’s claims to fame aren’t its views but its length (7,714 yards—the most in Utah) and its ranking by Golf Digest as the best public course in the state. One of fifteen “hidden gems” in the country according to Links, this Johnny Miller Signature golf club cradles spectacular gardens and creatively uses the natural mountain desert landscape. Another reason to go: During the winter, the course bases its green fee on the previous day’s low temperature, plus tax. Nine holes cost half the temperature, plus tax.
APRÈS
Less than 50 miles separates St. George from Zion National Park, home of such geological wonders as The Great White Throne, The Watchman, Angels Landing and Weeping Rock. And a two-hour drive places you amid the myriad brilliantly colored spires rising from the amphitheaters of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Only 80 miles from town, you’ll encounter a “mini Bryce” at the coliseum-like Cedar Breaks National Monument, which sits within the lush Dixie National Forest. There’s boating in nearby Sand Hollow State Park, as well as mountain biking along the Anasazi Trail and Gooseberry Mesa.
For a bit of culture, drive 15 minutes northwest of St. George to catch a Broadway show or concert at the Tuacahn Amphitheater, Utah’s version of Red Rocks Amphitheater. Redrockgolftrail.com will lead you to all that the area has to offer.
And should you take a day trip to play either The Ranches or Thanksgiving Point, check out the Thanksgiving Point network of gardens, museums, shops and restaurants—all part of a charitable institute whose mission is “to inspire the minds and renew the spirits of young and old by providing unique learning experiences, family-friendly entertainment, and opportunities for discovery in a safe and beautiful environment.”
Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.
