5 Top Things To Do at Dixie National Forest, Utah

Discover the Magic of Dixie National Forest

If you’re taking a road trip through Utah then you are probably visiting some (or maybe all) of the Mighty 5 National Parks of Utah.

Nestled in between the famous Zion and Bryce National Parks is a beautiful woodland forest called Dixie National Forest. Despite being less famous than its more popular neighbors, Dixie National Forest definitely doesn’t fall short!

Spending a week camping within this peaceful forest was just the refresher we were looking for.

First Off, Where is Dixie National Forest?

Compared to the surrounding National Parks, Dixie National Forest is actually pretty big! If you are traveling east from Zion National Park to Bryce National Park, Dixie makes for a perfect stop along the way.

Zion and Bryce are rightfully famous for their dramatic landscapes, but Dixie is a pocket of paradise in its own way. 

Now that you know where it is and how close it is to the popular areas of Utah, let’s get into the nitty gritty.

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5 TOP THINGS TO DO AT DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST

1.  Camp for a Fully Immersed Experience

During our time in Dixie National Forest, we wanted to camp so we could immerse ourselves entirely in the environment.

There are numerous campgrounds to choose from within the forest. We stayed at Te-Ah Campground in the southern section of the forest. We recommend making a reservation beforehand just in case the campground fills up. Camping in Dixie is perfect for both solo or group travel.

Te-Ah Campground – Our Favorite Campground of the Forest

What we loved most about Te-Ah campground is that you are camping within a beautiful Aspen forest.

In addition to the scenery, the Aspen trees that make up the area have many small round green leaves along its branches. As the breeze makes its way through the leaves they begin to shimmer and twinkle between a light and dark green.

Definitely one of the more unique and memorable campgrounds we’ve stayed in.

We hope you have the opportunity to camp at least once at Dixie. To this day, this is the most picturesque and peaceful place we have ever camped. If we lived closer, I’m sure you would find us here all the time.

Although if you are unable to camp and still want to explore this magical forest, you can always find nightly accommodating nearby at Cedar City.

This is the closest city to the forest which has overnight lodging, local eateries, shopping, or groceries if you need to stock up on food for the day.

2. Visit Navajo Lake – A Must See Location of Dixie National Forest

HUGE PERK of camping at Te-Ah Campground is being located right next to Navajo Lake.

To this day, this lake is my favorite out of all that I’ve visited. The beauty of Navajo Lake is from the clear blue (& slightly purple) water alongside the stunning mountain scenery.

You cannot see the lake from the campground, but it takes just a few minutes to drive there.

Take A Hike or Enjoy a Picnic!

You can hike Navajo Lake Loop Trail which takes you around the entire lake; a total of 10 miles. If hiking isn’t huge on your list, then you can visit by parking at one of multiple spots along the lake.

We loved this lake so much we came back a second time on our last day just to enjoy a picnic along the serene landscape.

Navajo Lake Lodge

Another convenient perk camping next to Navajo Lake is being close to a general store. You can find Navajo Lake Lodge right on the shore. They carry a small amount of groceries and camping necessities should you forget to bring any important items from your master packing list.  You can also rent boats here to take out on the lake!

Besides Navajo Lake, Dixie National Forest has one more large lake known as Panguitch Lake. This is located in the northern region of the forest. We’ve yet to make it out to this body of water, but we imagine it’d rival in beauty. 

3. Hike to the Pink Cliffs from Te-Ah Campground

To our surprise, we discovered a hidden hiking trail that starts from Te-Ah campground!

Unfortunately I couldn’t find the name of this hike on Google Maps or anywhere else online. My guess is the trail might be considered a nature walk due to its short length. 

You can find the trailhead at the top of Te-Ah Campground. Because we did not know where this trail lead, we were even more excited to see where it would take us!

Always know your limits and exercise caution when hiking trails with little information. 

Post hike we can now tell you that the trail is out and back, roughly 1 mile round trip, and starts with a subtle incline with the end being a bit challenging with more steep incline. 

Did Not See That Coming!

At the end of the trail, you emerge from the trees and step onto a small cliff-side. From here, you’re now gazing upon incredible rock formations all while overlooking the dense forest below.

We did not expect to see such massive and unique rock structures at the end of the trail! The rocks were a pinkish, reddish hue and continued to tower above us. These particular cliffs reminded us a lot of the red rock cliffs at Red Rock Canyon State Park back in California.

Unlike red rock canyon, this was our first encounter with hoodoos! (Tall, thin spires of rock.)

This is just one small trail of the many numerous trails in the forest! Be sure to make the quick trek up to this gorgeous view if you’re in the area.

4. Explore Duck Creek Village

Unlike many other National Forests, Dixie National Forest conveniently has a small town located within the grounds. Duck Creek Village resides in the southern area of the forest, not too far from Te-Ah Campground.

The tiny village has a few restaurants, a small grocery store, a gas station, and some overnight lodging either in hotels or cozy cabins. Staying in one of these forested cabins would have been a great runner up if we were not able to camp.

Perfect place to refuel for your car or for yourself if you don’t want to make the drive out to Cedar City.

5. Go Spelunking In Mammoth Cave

Another unique attraction within Dixie National Forest is Mammoth Cave. This is located about 15 minutes east of Duck Creek Village. Mammoth Cave is an old lava tube that you can climb down into and explore.

This experience was very similar to the Mojave Desert Lava Tube we explored at the Mojave National Preserve.

Make sure you bring a flashlight! It’s pitch black inside and you wouldn’t be able to get very far without any light. For most, Mammoth Cave is easy to climb. Just be prepared to dip down low during some parts of the cave with low ceilings.

Read more detailed information on Mammoth Cave from travel blogger Utah’s Adventure Family.

Dixie National Forest is a Splendid Getaway from the Larger Crowds

If you’re looking for a break in between visiting the many National Parks of Utah, then Dixie National Forest is your go to place to unwind. This large forest is loaded with numerous activities including hiking, camping, spelunking, and my personal favorite, picnicking alongside the beautiful Navajo Lake.

Spend a week or even just a day immersing yourself in the beauty and tranquility of this forest.

If you love lush green landscapes like Dixie then you’ll want to check out the Round Meadow loop in Sequoia National Park in California.

Have you been to Dixie National Forest? What were your favorite things to do here? Share with us in the comments below!

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