The annual St George Scarecrow Walk at the Red Hills Desert Garden will be wrapping up this week, so if you haven’t had a chance to go, hurry! You don’t want to miss out.
St George Scarecrow Walk
Kicking off on Oct. 16, the annual Scarecrow Walk and Haunted Canyon is one of many delightful fall festivals taking place in the St George area. This family-friendly event takes place at the Red Hills Desert Garden, 375 Red Hills Parkway, St. George, Utah.
One participant described the St George Scarecrow Walk as something akin to a festival of trees, but with scarecrows. It would be amazing to see it grow to even half the size of the area’s Jubilee of Trees. For now, though businesses and organizations from throughout the area get on board to decorate their own scarecrow. The creativity is fantastic! Some of the highlights at this year’s St George Scarecrow Walk include:
* superheroes doing yoga
* cactus-turned-scarecrow for Taco Time 
* traditional Day of the Dead adorned scarecrow
* nod to the brave men and women of the armed forces
* “Wizard of Oz” characters
and more.
Opening day of the St George Scarecrow Walk included cookie decorating, music and a view of the scarecrows and the Haunted Canyon. Now through the end of the event (on Oct. 31), patrons can still enjoy the St George Scarecrow Walk and Haunted Canyon, minus the cookie decorating and music.
Haunted Canyon
In what is normally an area showcasing some of the fish and other wildlife present in the Red Hills Desert Garden, the Haunted Canyon has a few additional thrills.
But don’t worry, it’s definitely family friendly. Even young children can enjoy the Haunted Canyon. Just look out for some alien life. And a surprising visitor trying to make his way through the grate in the ground.
Red Hills Desert Garden
During October, the St George Scarecrow Walk is a great way to attract people to the Red Hills Desert Garden. But the garden itself is available all year.
According to an article on St. George News web site, The Red Hills Desert Garden is Utah’s first desert conservation garden. The Red Hills Desert Garden has been open since 2015.
Located along the Red Hills Parkway, with breathtaking views of St. George and the surrounding area, this five-acre property offers a variety of information about the area. The garden includes more than 170 low-water-use plants, near a 1,150-foot stream. The pathways crisscross around the stream and provide plenty of places where people can sit and enjoy the scenic desert-scape.
What is currently being used as the Haunted Canyon is actually an artificial slot canyon that blends into the existing landscape. Windows in the end of the canyon allow people to see beneath the water of the stream and observe fish that are native to the Virgin River.
Although the Red Hills Desert Garden and St George Scarecrow Walk is an excellent way to enjoy the outdoors and the views of the city, the real purpose of the garden goes much deeper. The main focus is to teach and promote water conservation. This is a desert, after all.
Low-water plant options
Perhaps you’ve wanted to implement more low-water plants into your landscape. Here’s a great place to see what that would actually look like.
Ron Thompson, general manager of the Washington County Water Conservancy District, said, “… My hope here is this will be a great desert education facility (where) people (visit) and get comfortable with what works in the desert and what doesn’t.”
The plants included in the Red Hills Desert Garden that can be viewed during the St George Scarecrow Walk include, but are not limited to:
* Beavertail Prickly Pear
* Beaked Yucca
* Argentine Mesquite
* Arizona Cypress
* Cup-leaf Texas Sage
* Daybreak Gazania
* Mexican Blue Sage
* Little Leaf Ash
* Rough-leaved Agave
and more.
Community welcome to enjoy
There are many ways for you to enjoy the Red Hills Desert Garden; the St George Scarecrow Walk is just one of them. This $3 million project is here for the community to enjoy. Take a walk. Enjoy the scenery. Learn about some plants. Decide to conserve water. And during the fall and Halloween season, enjoy the many scarecrows too.
Want to live somewhere close to such a great environmental educational opportunity? Check out these great home listings here.