Although winter is still upon us, it won’t be for much longer. Especially living in St. George, the weather will begin to warm up and seem more spring like towards the end of February. As February approaches, it’s time to start planning early spring hiking trips to get ahead of the crowds.

For some hikes, however, the spring is too early to hike them. Water hikes, like Kanarraville Falls and the Zion Narrows, are far too cold in the spring to hike due to snow runoff and cold water temperatures. These hikes are recommended for the hot summer months, when the water is pleasantly cool to counter warm temperatures. Hikes like Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park are also advised to be cautious during the spring due to parts of the trail that may be icy or frozen, even during the spring.

Cassidy arch

Located in the heart of Capitol Reef National Park, this trail leads to a red bridge-arch that provides a good vantage point for a photo opportunity of the bridge and hikers that traverse to hike it. This bridge was named after Butch Cassidy, which is a perfect namesake considering the landscape surrounding it. The trail winds along the Grand Wash Trail and the Scenic Drive, sitting at a slightly higher elevation which is another reason this trail is great for landscape photography. The trail is 3.5 miles roundtrip and is an easy hike for all ages and skill levels.

Navajo Loop

Navajo Loop is a must-hike when visiting Bryce Canyon, and is often combined with the Queen’s Garden trail to make a longer hike to see more of the park. Navajo Loop itself is a moderate hike at 1.4 miles roundtrip, and takes under two hours to finish. It visits some of the parks most famous hoodoo formations, like Thor’s Hammer, Wall Street, and Twin Bridges. The trail descends 500 ft from the rim at Sunset Point into the canyon floor of the park, which is why it is a great immersive hike for the short time it takes to hike the loop.

Observation Point

The Observation Point trail at Zion National Park isn’t quite as traveled as Angel’s Landing, but provides a stunning view of the entire canyon from the backside – at an even higher elevation than Angel’s Landing. In fact, you look down on Angel’s Landing on this hike. This hike is a long, difficult hike, however, at about 8 miles round trip and with steep switchbacks, drop offs, and strenuous stretches that classify it as a full-day hike at 5 hours. The hike has full exposure to the sun, which is why it is favorable to do it in the spring or fall when temperatures are cooler than June-August.

Double Arch

Often seen on calendars and travel photos of Utah, the Double Arch trail in Arches National Park is the shortest hike on this list at a half mile in length. The Double Arches are two separate sandstone arches that share the same base on either side. This formation is rare due to the different type of erosion of the rock.