St. George, Utah Pioneer Park

Pioneer Park is located in St. George, Utah not far from Snow Canyon State Park on the way to Zion National Park. At the entrance of Pioneer Park is the Red Hill Desert Garden with a short accessible trail. The rest of Pioneer Park hasn’t been made accessible, besides a bathroom and nearby parking spot, but parts may be possible and still worth exploring. Perhaps with more interest, more access can be reasonably made. If going to the garden, I recommend at least driving the one-way, scenic road along the red cliffs.

Two areas, in particular, were of interest at Pioneer Park, besides the gardens, and found end parking spots close to the sites that allowed space for the van’s ramp. Generally, I found it fun to get out and go as far as I could, though not much of the ground was firm enough to wheel over in a power wheelchair. Some areas are worth exploring in a manual wheelchair too. I was amazed at what I found just off the road. Just getting to be so close to the red rocks and their unique formations was special.

Cliff Dwelling

Approaching the red rocks, a cliff dwelling appeared, which was very unexpected. It was also surprising that the pathway to it and to the inside of it was barrier-free. Two power wheelchairs easily wheeled up and inside the cliff dwelling. I had never experienced anything like it and was told that locals call this the “Boy Scout Cave” because it has been used as a campsite for generations.      

Trailhead

A little closer to the entrance of Pioneer Park is the Pioneer Park Trailhead. From a non-accessible parking spot on the end, we wheeled down the incline on the smooth asphalt road to the trailhead. The first portion of the trail is firm, level, and made up of crushed rock and dirt. This section is possible for someone in a manual wheelchair and is a scenic stroll through a canyon of red rocks.

At the end of the canyon, the trail takes a sharp vertical climb, which was no trouble in power wheelchairs, including navigating over a small dip from water runoff. At the top of the hill, enjoy a fantastic view of the surrounding area. From here, the trail loops around for a little over a mile. Though wide enough, we didn’t venture much further due to excessive rocks and a low battery.   

Additional Info

Dog and family-friendly. A wheelchair accessible toilet is located towards the end of the park near a van-accessible parking spot. A wheelchair accessible drinking fountain is also available here. The group picnic pavilion is located at this part of the park down a wide, all-natural pathway. No official wheelchair access has been made to the pavilion or at the site itself, but some may still be able to use it as is. Other picnic tables were seen at the park but were on raised platforms with no barrier-free side. The Red Hill Desert Garden has shaded benches that may work better, though not officially a picnic table.