Aspiration Trail is a short, simple hike right in south St. George. This hike is considered an urban hike, which means that it starts right in St. George. In fact, the hike starts right by an RV rental site across from a Christian church. It then ventures into the low foothills right on the edge of town.
The cool thing about Aspiration Trail is that you can make it as long or as short as you want. Once the trail crosses under the highway and into the hills, it makes several twists and turns, and you can wander and turn at your leisure.
Aspiration Trail is unique because there are thousands of painted rocks that line the trail. Some rocks are designed with words of wisdom, others honor a loved one or pet, and some are just silly. We walked along at a slow amble and read or examined many of the rocks. Of course, we didn’t disturb anything as we went by. We are merely lookers when we hike. You can bring your own rock to add to the Aspiration Trail. Read more about it here.
There is no shade on Aspiration Trail in St. George, so it is best hiked in the early morning or just before sunset. Though the trail is only mildly steep, the sun bakes this part of the desert during the summer, so water is a must. Make sure to wear sunscreen and some kind of hat, too.
If you stay to the left at the junctions when you are hiking this trail, there is a large pillar with a flag for your final destination. We didn’t make it that far because of the heat and some sickness. When we hike it again, we will make sure to head toward the left. We wandered around and admired the rocks until we got too hot, and then headed back again. The roundtrip distance to the pillar and back is 1.5 miles.
Use our things to do in St. George post to find other fun adventures in this area of Utah.
Location
In order to find the Aspiration Trail in St. George, put in one of the following into your maps app on your phone:
- Calvary Chapel
- 3910 S 690 W (AKA Pioneer Rd and Sugar Leo Rd)
- Pioneer Boys Storage
There is a large sign on Pioneer Road labeling the Aspiration Trail, and it is easy to follow. The trailhead is directly across from the Calvary Chapel in St George.
