Hiking St George, Utah: Cinder Cone Trail

We’ve driven past this old mound of a volcano many times and decided we’d finally stop and explore. The kids were actually excited to see an extinct volcano. The trail winds around the old volcano and steadily elevates until you reach the crest and have a grand view of Snow Canyon. This view alone makes the hike worth it – it was refreshing to see a new view of the canyon – and if you turn around you’ll see a good size volcanic crater and several other extinct volcanic mounds to the north and northwest.

Cinder Cone Trail

Distance: 1.5 to 2 miles depending on how much you explore

Difficulty: Moderate (with little kids, easy with just adults)

Elevation Gain: ~500 ft.

Time: 2 hours

Fee: No

The pictures don’t really do justice to the size of the crater. We let the kids circumnavigate the caldera and then scramble down into the crater (this required and extra snack but was worth it). Kids liked being inside an old volcano.

Tips

Water of course. Trail is steep and again, hot and dry in summer months
Wear good shows. You’re walking over volcanic rock and it’s easy to lose your footing as you climb.
Pants or first aid kit: kids will slip on the gravely rocks. Nothing dangerous but they could get scraped on the sharp rocks, so have them wear pants or bring bandages.
Jackets: We were there in March on a 50° day and saw a few snowflakes on the top. Elevation gain is only ~500 feet, but with no tree cover the wind will blow and it can get cold.