Whipple Trail, Pine Valley

When temperatures soar past 100 degrees in Saint George it’s time to head to the high country for hiking. One of the closest areas offering top-notch hiking from easy to strenuous is the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness. Many trailheads mark the beginning of great adventures. One of them, the Whipple Trail, is accessed right in the town of Pine Valley. Take Hwy 18 north from Saint George to Central, then a right onto the Pine Valley Road. Go 10 miles into Pine Valley and turn left at the Main Street intersection. Follow this road to the entrance of the campgrounds. Tell the attendant you are there to hike and not camp. This will forgo a fee. Stay on this road past a fishing pond on your right, and park at the very end of this road.  Whipple Trail is as fascinating as it is gorgeous. Ponderosa, Pinion, Spruce and Cedar trees adorn the rugged and vast hillsides. A series of switchbacks helps you ascend to Hop Canyon, and each look back towards the town of Pine Valley affords a more breathtaking view each time you stop. Soon, that large fishing hole you passed a little while ago looks like a teeny puddle. Gardner Peak, the highest landmark on Pine Ridge, becomes quite obvious to your north.  Be aware of time. If you get to the confluence of the Whipple, North Valley and Summit Trails, you will have trekked roughly an hour and a half. You can either turn back now, or go to the right on the Summit Trail, then right on the Brown Point Road Trail, which takes you back down once again to the Whipple Trail and just about to your vehicle. But, this is a full days’ hike in the best of conditions and you need to be prepared for it. Try the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness. You’ll be glad you did.

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