Scout Cave is a mostly flat hike at the south entrance to Snow Canyon State Park. The trail leads to a beautiful cave that you will need to scramble up to. There is also a set of stairs, so we list this trail as moderate for kids and families. The views from Scout Cave in Snow Canyon are fantastic, and we recommend this trail if you can make the distance of 3.5 miles roundtrip.
Currently, Snow Canyon is building a new entrance station (2025). Just after you pay, there is a small parking lot on the left hand side of the road for Scout Cave and Johnson Canyon Arch. After parking, cross the road and follow the trail for a short distance until it forks. The first part of the trail is very rocky. Lava rocks are all over the trail, so wear good shoes. Take the right hand fork (there’s a sign) that points you south to Scout Cave. The trail is actually well-signed the entire way, so it is quite easy to follow.
The Scout Cave trail runs back parallel to the road toward the new subdivision to the south. After following the rim along the flat, it eventually drops steeply down into the bottom of a narrow wash. You will need to carefully navigate down the lava rocks. You walk in the wash the entire way. At this point, the trail turns right and goes all the way to the bottom of the hill below those houses. From there, it turns east and extends to a set of long steps.
The steps look really bad, but if you take them slowly, they are actually pretty easy. There are probably 80 steps (we didn’t count), but they are sturdy and evenly spaced. They constitute the majority of the climbing on this hike as you climb out of the wash toward the caves. Also, please note that there is no shade on this trail until you get to the cave, so be prepared with sunscreen, hats, and water.
Above the steps there is just a little more scrambling to the caves. You will see Scout Cave as you come to the top of the steps, and you can pretty easily climb up into it. It is easy to access and quite deep. When you get inside, you realize that it is partially open to the sky, but there are still some great picture spots. This cavern is really pretty at sunset because it looks out at the sun. But anytime of day is a nice time to hike Scout Cave!
There is actually a second cavern on the right, but many people bypass this one because the climb into it isn’t safe. There’s a high wall to scale with only a narrow crack for handholds. Getting inside wouldn’t be as nice as visiting Scout Cave just a few steps further along the cliffside. We didn’t mess with the cave other than walking over to look at it from down below.
Scout Cave in Snow Canyon State Park is one of our favorite trails in the St. George area. There are actually a lot of easy trails for kids in Snow Canyon. So if this trail seems a little tricky, check out our other suggestions on this list: Snow Canyon Guide.
