Pine Valley Utah

Sitting at an elevation of 6,800 feet and escaping the heat of St. George, Utah, is Pine Valley Utah.   Visitors head to the Pine Valley Recreation Area, located in beautiful scenic Pine Valley, Utah. Fishing is available at the nearby Pine Valley Utah Reservoir and there are many trails for hiking and sightseeing.

Nature in Pine Valley Utah

Pine Valley, Utah is situated in the Pine Valley Mountains. Full of ponderosa pine and oak, deer, squirrels, birds and other wildlife, Pine Valley’s views are hard to escape nor forget. Rich mountain mahogany, juniper and sagebrush further the feel of serenity as you take in all the splendor of the Pine Valley Mountains.

Activities

Bring your horses as there are abundant horse trails in Pine Valley, Utah. The hiking trails range from family friendly to the more experienced. The length of the trails varies from 2 to 35 miles. Want to bring your mountain bike? Take the Cemetery Trail, the Gardner Peak Trail, and the Santa Clara River Trail, as they allow mountain biking. A popular activity is shoreline fishing for rainbow trout out at the lake.  The recreation areas are adjacent to the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness.

Facilities

In the Pine Valley Recreation area there are six overnight family campgrounds, two overnight group areas, four day-use group sites and an outdoor amphitheater. Dean Gardner, Equestrian, and Yellow Pine family campgrounds require reservations. Mitt Moody, Crackfoot and Ebenezer Bryce Campgrounds do not require a reservation and are available on a first-come basis. The family campgrounds in Pine Valley, Utah have several single and double-family sites, which contain picnic tables, fire rings with grills, utility tables, tent pads and concrete site pads.

All the group sites, both the overnight and the day-use are available for reservations. The Effie Beckstrom area has two overnight sites available, accommodating 80 people each. Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water is provided Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Thomas Forsyth day-use area has four picnic areas for groups ranging from 35-150 people. This beautiful facility in Pine Valley, Utah supplies large picnic tables, grills and campfire circles. Other amenities include horse shoe pits and volleyball courts.

Directions

Go north on Bluff St and follow UT-18 N to E Center St/Pine Valley Hwy E in Central, Utah –

25 min (23.7 mi). Drive to FR 035/E Main St/Pine Valley Rd in Pine Valley, Utah – 11 min (8.1 mi)

Santa Clara Walkway

The river walkway winds through a forest of pines which crosses over the Santa Clara river on bridges.  See amazing views of mountain, trees and wildlife on the paved path. This path in Pine Valley Utah is about one and a half miles long or three miles around. Because of the paved and gentle curves of the path, it is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. As you traverse the path, you will see a variety of wildlife including deer, chipmunks, squirrels, birds and fish in the reservoir. There are several benches along the trail for a rest as you walk the path.

With this renovation of the Pine Valley Utah Recreation Area, there are new campgrounds, and picnic areas as well.  The final bridge connects the reservoir dam with the south shore fishing area. The Pine Valley Utah Recreation Area is approximately 45 minutes from St George and is three miles east of the town of Pine Valley.  At an elevation of 6900 feet, the area offers a cooler summer temperature compared to St George.  There are many outdoor activities in Pine Valley Utah such as, hiking, fishing, horseback riding and camping.

Driving Directions

From St George, go north on Bluff St which turns into Highway 18.  Continue north to Central.  Turn right on Forest Highway 35 toward Pine Valley.  Take a left on Main Street and go three miles to the recreation area. Pay the $4 entrance fee and park at the Gardner Peak trailhead on the north side of the road and walk across the road to the south side. Walk the paved trail. The trail can also be reached from the north side of the reservoir.  It connects to the campground loops and the picnic areas.  There is also river and reservoir shore access as well.

Pine Valley Chapel

Since granite boulders, large amounts of limestone, and plenty of pine timber was available, Pine Valley Utah became a logging and saw-milling community.  The settlers there wanted to build a church that could also be used as a school and community building. Ebenezer Bryce was asked by William Snow, the bishop of Pine Valley Utah, to design the church and oversee the construction. He only agreed once his design of it being made like a boat was accepted. Using local pine and setting it on a foundation made of granite and red limestone, the Pine Valley Chapel was built. Ebenezer Bryce’s experience in building and design was that of a shipbuilder.  He made the attic of the church a ship’s hull turned upside down, making this waterproof. The walls of The Pine Valley Chapel were constructed on the ground, then they were lifted and tied at each corner with strips of rawhide.  Wooden pegs and square nails were used in the church’s construction.  A narrow staircase leads to a small prayer room above the chapel.

The Pine Valley Chapel was completed in 1868 and is known to be the oldest church in Utah in terms of use.  It has always served as a church and has been maintained well and any necessary repair work was done in a way to not alter the building in any significant way. This chapel in Pine Valley Utah has two stories. The bottom was used for school and community functions while the second floor was where worship services were held.

Today

The Pine Valley Chapel is the oldest Mormon Church that is still in continuous use today.  Services are still held during the summer months. The church having no air conditioning, insulation in the walls or heating, gets too hot or too cold depending on the temperature outside. Plans to add an HVAC system had been approved in 2003 by the LDS (Mormon) Church.

On the National Register of Historic Places

On April 16, 1971, The Pine Valley Chapel and adjacent Tithing Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#1971000859).

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