Putting Around St George and Zion Park

Golf Entrada
I get my money's worth when I go golfing. Some of my friends only get to hit the ball 3 or 4 times per hole. But I usually find a way to get in 6, 7 or 8 strokes. Sometime I even get to drive the ball twice, and I always insist on putting 3-4 times. I'm usually still playing, still having fun, long after my buddies have bagged their clubs.

I guess I'm a bit of a hack. I like to think I have the potential to be good, but I just can't make myself put in the needed practice time. Too many other activities competing for my attention.

For example, I enjoy spending time in St George. So many great golf courses, with posh lodging right next to the greens. I should play 18 every day. But I don't.

Why? Because the craggy cliffs of Zion National Park are just down the road, and that park happens to be one of my favorite places on earth. I can't stay in St George, not even on a short weekend trip, without giving in to the allure of the park and hiking a trail or two.

When I was younger and my brain wasn't as well developed, I spent countless days on the trail, and countless nights camping out, sleeping on the hard ground. Now I enjoy hitting the trails hard during the day and then hitting the shower, a nice restaurant, a Jacuzzi, and a firm mattress. Add a relaxing massage and you have my version of paradise.

Late spring and early summer are my favorite times to vacation in St George. The weather is mild - it's ideal for golf. It's also ideal for hiking the dry trails in Zion Park and the surrounding desert country. And it is warm enough to make outdoor pools very attractive. It's perfect for patio dining or enjoying an evening drink on the porch.

If you enjoy golf, I recommend staying at The Inn at Entrada, which offer luxurious accommodations and great amenities associated with a top-ranked golf course. Entrada is a small boutique resort with 48 private casitas and the exclusivity of a private club. Guests have access to the world-class, Johnny Miller-designed golf course at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club, which stretches across acres of unique desert landscape against a backdrop of sandstone cliffs, rolling dunes, ancient black lava fields and rugged arroyos. (Course stats: 18 holes, par 71, 7059 yards, rating/slope: 73.6/131.)

When I retire, I may just make Entrada my permanent address. Until then, I really enjoy vacationing there. Everything about it is top notch. And it is located near the mouth of Snow Canyon State Park, so there are great year-round hiking trails right outside the door.

Entrada is the perfect base camp for outdoor activities of every kind. After a day of golf at Entrada, hiking or biking in Snow Canyon or the national parks, or simply relaxing by the pool, guests return to the comfort of an elegantly appointed villa with contemporary southwest design, a fireplace, jacuzzi tub and freshly baked cookies delivered to their door every evening.

If you are looking for great accommodations at an impressive golf course, you won't find a better package anywhere. Anywhere!

Hike Zion
Zion Park is perfect in late spring, when temperatures are mild, cacti are in bloom and waterfalls plunge down many cliff faces. Right now is an ideal time to hike many of the trails in Zion Canyon, and up the cliff faces to viewpoints overlooking the canyon.

Spring visitors get a bonus at Zion. Snow melting in the high country creates brooklets that flow down many canyons. Washes that are normally dry carry water, often channeling it over waterfalls. In spring you can see a dozen beautiful waterfalls that dry up as the heat of summer sets in.

Summer will soon be here and that will bring new hiking possibilities. Streams that are high and cold now will settle down and warm up, making it pleasant to wade. The famous Zion Narrows, where you hike right up the river, wading and swimming as you go, will probably open in early June this year.

Summer brings hot afternoons on the links around St George. But mornings are very pleasant and it is easy to get a good tee time. Play a round in the morning and then you have the rest of the day to see Zion or engage in the wide assortment of recreational activities that makes St George a popular destination.

Check our events calendar for upcoming Utah activities.

- Dave Webb

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