An Artistic Journey Through Southwestern Utah

• BYU Museum of Art
• Springville Museum of Art
• Stillman and Shakespeare Sculpture Gardens

Hopefully you’ve already had your fill of the arts in Salt Lake City by the time you embark on your journey south. Before you leave the metropolitan area entirely, stop at an art museum on the southern end of the valley. Many Western art lovers stop at the Brigham Young University (BYU) Museum of Art to look for Maynard Dixon paintings (more on Dixon later). This free admission museum owns the world’s largest collection of Dixon’s artworks and also has a large outside sculpture garden with tours available. Just 20 minutes away, the Springville Museum of Art is one of the finest collections in the state and hosts a large collection of Utah art. Now that you’ve stretched your legs and had lunch in Provo (known for its global eats and sweet treats), it’s time for the 3-hour drive to Cedar City. Once in Cedar City, check out the Stillman and Shakespeare Sculpture Gardens before grabbing a tasty dinner. 

Overnight in Cedar City

• Southern Utah Museum of Art
• Utah Shakespeare Festival
• Cedar Breaks National Monument

For fans of performing arts, it’s essential to align this itinerary with the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival held in Cedar City from June through– October. If you’re not traveling during the festival season, visit the Southern Utah Museum of Art to get your artistic fill for the day and make the most of your 24 hours in Cedar City (which is also full of unique Western heritage experiences). In the afternoon, begin your 45-minute drive to the stunning Cedar Breaks National Monument. This will be your first (but not last) spectacular panorama this week. Enjoy a hike to Alpine Pond and, if you’ve packed a dinner with you, you can even stay late to enjoy a stargazing program with a ranger/naturalist in this internationally-certified Dark Sky Park. 

Overnight in Cedar City

• Silver Reef Museum and Ghost Town
• St. George Gallery Stroll
• Tuacahn Center for the Arts

After breakfast in Cedar City, begin your drive to St. George. This short journey takes you through a scenic transition zone between the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin and the Colorado Plateau. Along the way, check out the Silver Reef Museum and Ghost Town (opens at 10 a.m.). Once in St. George, stop at the Red Cliffs Visitor Center (only open weekdays) to plan out the right hike for your time and skill level for tomorrow. The sprawling 60,000-acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve requires a little planning ahead but is full of accessible and family-friendly trails. You’ll also find nearby hiking options at Snow Canyon State Park. After stopping at the visitor center to make a plan, take a gallery stroll and make plans for a great dinner. In the evening, attend a performance at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts, an open-air theater in the middle of a red cliffs desert landscape (book your tickets ahead of time!). 

Overnight in St. George

• Red Cliffs Desert Reserve
• Snow Canyon State Park
• Kayenta Art Village

Today, take to a trail in Utah’s red rock desert, whether in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve or Snow Canyon State Park — or both. The Western and Red Mountain portions of Red Cliffs Desert Reserve are as stunning as desert terrain can be and, as a bonus, they’re near the Kayenta Art Village. After your hike, stop in Kayenta to view galleries, see artists at work, walk a labyrinth and sculpture garden, and enjoy a meal at the tasty Xetava Gardens Café. There’s also an outdoor Cabaret Theatre featuring music, theatre and lectures. If you have extra time, choose a unique heritage experience in the area, such as seeing ancient Puebloan art. 

Overnight in St. George

• Zion National Park
• Maynard Dixon House
• East Zion

Your trip is wrapping up, but be prepared for a grand finale as you head toward your final basecamp: the eastern region of Zion National Park. If you’ve never been to Zion National Park, you may want to plan a morning hike in the famed Zion Canyon (access via a shuttle and some trails require reservations). Otherwise, continue straight onwards to East Zion for a full day of beauty in this less-visited region of the national park. On the way you’ll wind through sandstone cliffs via the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel and see the iconic Checkerboard Mesa. In the afternoon, visit the Maynard Dixon House in Mt. Carmel to encounter the intimate and serene world of the renowned Western painter’s homestead and artistic retreat. Self-guided tours are available daily, but docent tours offered through the Thunderbird Foundation are available and highly recommended. 

Overnight in East Zion / Orderville

• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Heritage Highway 89
• Spring City

Today is a great day to get an early start and enjoy a popular East Zion hike, such as Observation Point, Cable Mountain or Canyon Overlook. To keep with the theme of a Western art aesthetic, you might want to book a guided horseback ride through a company like East Zion Adventures. Travelers looking to see another national park can also make the hour-long drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. 

For art-loving and heritage-minded travelers returning to Salt Lake City, make the return drive on the charming Heritage Highway 89. Along the way, experience the unique small town arts scene of Sanpete Valley, including a plein air artists’ favorite, Spring City, where you can pick up a take-home ceramic from Horseshoe Mountain Pottery.