Your Guide to Southern Utah
From the otherworldly hoodoos of Bryce Canyon to the towering cliffs of Zion — Sevier River Farmhouse puts you at the center of it all. Here's everything worth seeing, doing, and tasting nearby.
BRICE CANYON NP
24.6 mi
RED CANYON
10.4 mi
PANGUITCH
15.2 mi
KODACHROME BASIN
41.3 mi
ZION NATIONAL PARK
72 mi
CORAL PINK SAND DUNES
50.4 mi
WHY HATCH, UTAH
The Best Basecamp in Southern Utah
Hatch sits right on Scenic Highway 89 — the spine of Southern Utah — putting you within easy striking distance of multiple national parks, state parks, and natural wonders. It's a small town with big access: quiet enough to decompress after a day of hiking, central enough to explore the whole region without backtracking. There are no crowds here, no resort prices, just open skies and some of the best scenery on the planet at your doorstep.
NATIONAL PARKS
The Big Two
~30 MINUTES FROM SEVIER RIVER FARMHOUSE
Bryce Canyon National Park
The closest major park to your doorstep. Bryce Canyon isn't actually a canyon — it's a series of natural amphitheaters carved into the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The result is thousands of red, orange, and white hoodoos (those otherworldly rock spires) that seem to glow from within at sunrise and sunset.
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Sunrise Point & Inspiration Point - best spots to watch the canyon light up at dawn
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Navajo Loop Trail - 1.3 miles, drops down among the hoodoos; best intro hike in the park
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Rim Trail - easy 11 mile walk along the canyon edge with constant views
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Best stargazing in Utah - Bryce Canyon is an International Dark Sky Park with 7,500+ visible stars
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Horse-riding tours available spring through fall
~75 MINUTES FROM SEVIER RIVER FARMHOUSE
Zion National Park
A completely different landscape from Bryce — where Bryce is about looking down into a canyon, Zion is about standing inside one. Towering sandstone walls rise 2,000 feet on either side of the Virgin River. It's dramatic, intimate, and unlike anything else in the American Southwest.
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Angels Landing — one of America's most iconic (and thrilling) hikes; permit required
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The Narrows — wade through the Virgin River between slot canyon walls; incredible experience
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Canyon Overlook Trail — 1 mile, easy, stunning panoramic views
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Emerald Pools — family-friendly trail to three tiers of waterfalls and pools
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Kolob Canyons — less-visited section of the park with equally jaw-dropping scenery
BEYOND THE BIG PARKS
Hidden Gems Worth the Drive
The national parks get the headlines, but some of the best scenery near Hatch is in the less-visited spots. These are our local favorites.
10.4 mi - FREE TO VISIT
Red Canyon
Drive straight through natural rock arch tunnels on Scenic Highway 12. Often called "Bryce's little sister," with vibrant vermilion formations, paved biking trails, and almost no crowds.
41.3 mi - STATE PARK FEE
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Named by National Geographic for its vivid colors. Unique sedimentary pipes (petrified geysers) rise from a painted desert floor. Amazing disc golf, hiking, and camping. Far fewer visitors than the national parks.
38.4 mi - FREE TO VISIT
Grand Staircase–Escalante
One of America's most remote and wild landscapes — 1.7 million acres of canyons, mesas, and slot canyons. Lower Calf Creek Falls is a must: an easy 6-mile round trip to a 126-foot desert waterfall.
50.4 mi - STATE PARK FEE
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
A surreal landscape of soft pink sand dunes surrounded by red cliffs. Great for sandboarding, OHV riding, and photography. A totally different side of Southern Utah that surprises every first-time visitor.
THINGS TO DO
Activities for Every Kind of Traveler
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Hiking
From easy rim walks to multi-day backcountry routes, the trails around Hatch cover every skill level. Bryce's Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trail combo is the classic. Red Canyon has uncrowded paved trails perfect for families and beginners.
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Stargazing
With almost zero light pollution, Hatch sits within one of the darkest corridors in the Lower 48. Bryce Canyon is a certified International Dark Sky Park — on a clear night you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye from your own backyard. The farmhouse porch is perfect for it.
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Fishing
The Sevier River runs right alongside the property — and it's known for trout fishing. Panguitch Lake (20 min away) is a popular local fishing spot year-round, including ice fishing in winter. Dixie National Forest has dozens of additional streams and reservoirs.
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Scenic Drives
Scenic Byway 12 — accessible from Hatch via Highway 89 — is consistently ranked one of the most beautiful roads in America. The stretch from Red Canyon to Capitol Reef National Park passes through Escalante, Anasazi ruins, and some of the most dramatic canyon scenery on earth.
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Horseback Riding
Several outfitters operate within Bryce Canyon and the surrounding Dixie National Forest offering guided trail rides through hoodoos and along the canyon rim. Canyon Trail Rides has operated in Bryce since 1959 — 2-hour and half-day rides available spring through fall.
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OHV & Mountain Biking
Dixie National Forest has hundreds of miles of off-highway vehicle trails and single-track mountain biking. Red Canyon has 9 miles of purpose-built paved bike path through spectacular red rock scenery — one of the best family rides in Southern Utah.
READY TO EXPLORE?
Book Your Southern Utah Basecamp
Sevier River Farmhouse — 24.6 miles from Bryce Canyon, perfectly placed for everything Southern Utah has to offer.