A Jewel in Dixie National Forest

A June 2007 trip to Pine Valley by Linda Hoernke

Fly Fishing on Pine Valley Reservoir Photo -

Quote: Pine Valley Recreation Area is a beautiful wooded mountain with streams, hiking and horse trails, camping and picnic facilities. A great place all year round.

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Pine Valley Recreation Area

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Pine Valley covers about 50,000 acres in what's known as the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness. The mountain is part of a huge rock outcrop that forms the Pine Valley Laccolith...the largest in the United States. Mixed spruce, bristle cone pine, and Douglas-fir are found throughout the area. Beautiful tree lined meadows are the summer home to a large deer herd along with many birds including the red-tailed hawk. Pine Valley Mountain is actually an island surrounded by desert with summer days being warm with cool nights and winter months becoming a recreation area for skiing and other winter sports. The scenery is amazing with hiking trails that will take you to overlooks of the Dixie Basin and Zion National Park. There are over 150 miles of hiking trails in the area. There are short trails that will take you around Pine Valley Reservoir and backpack trails like the 15 mile Whipple Trail.

Located north of St. George, the Pine Valley Recreation Area is a great place for camping, hiking, fishing, or relaxing. The reservoir is filled with rainbow and brook trout...a nice addition to a meal around the campfire. There are no boat ramps and fishing from boats or float tubes are not allowed so this makes the Reservoir popular with fly fishers. Horseback riding is popular in the area and one of the campgrounds have horse facilities. Blue Springs Campground is one of five shaded campgrounds in the Pine Valley Mountains. There are 18 sites with drinking water and flush toilets. The cost of the sites are $11 a night and they are open from May to October. For reservations, call (877) 444-6777 or (800) 287-CAMP for the Equestrian campground.

The town of Pine Valley is at 6,500 feet and has had an interesting history. It was a lumber and livestock area before it became a thriving town. People moved away and it became a ghost town. Later it was appreciated as a recreational area and now it is back to a community with year-round residents. One of the most famous historical buildings still in use is the Pine Valley Chapel. Logs from a gorge west of Pine Valley were hauled by ox cart to the site in 1867. Built by Ebenezer Bryce, the interior resembles an upside down ship. The chapel was dedicated in 1868 and is the oldest continuously used chapel by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The chapel can be visited and tours are given. The address is 52 W Main Street, Pine Valley.

Pine Valley Lodge is located at 960 East Main Street in Pine Valley. They rent cabins for $59 a night or you can stay in the lodge for $79 per night. Their cabins are one room with a small TV and the shower house is across from them. They are cute and comfortable. Some have bunk beds plus a double bed. The lodge also has a cafe which serves great food and across the street is the Branding Iron Restaurant. Reservations for the lodge can be made at (435) 574-6475.

Directions to Pine Valley: From Vegas head north on I-15. Take Exit 6 in St. George. Turn north on Bluff Street. Bluff turns into Hwy. 18. Keep traveling north on Hwy. 18 to the turn off for Central. Turn right and continue through Central and into Pine Valley. Turn left at Main St. near the Pine Valley Chapel and continue into the Pine Valley Recreation Area. Distance from St. George is about 40 miles. Read Less