Explore the Virgin River Gorge in the Scenic Arizona Strip

Posted in Arizona StripTagged ,

The Virgin River Gorge is a spectacular, 500-million-year-old natural canyon slicing through the rugged Arizona Strip.

A scenic view of a river winding through rugged terrain, with colorful rock formations and a pink sky at dusk.

Virgin river at sunset surrounded by high canyon wall in the Arizona Strip

Virgin River Rec Area

Carved by the Virgin River, this narrow, multi-colored rock canyon is famously traversed by a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 15 between Littlefield, Arizona, and St. George, Utah.

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is located off the Cedar Pockets exit (Exit 18). It is the only developed campground on the entire Arizona Strip. It has tent and RV sites, day-use picnic areas, and potable water.

Day-use and camping fees apply, which can be checked or reserved on Recreation.gov.

The Drive

The I-15 corridor through the gorge is considered an engineering marvel and one of the most scenic stretches of highway in the U.S. Completed in 1973 after nearly a decade of blasting through solid rock, this winding road requires caution but offers dramatic windshield views of towering 500-foot canyon walls.

Images

The images in this post were taken at different times. On a return trip from Nevada this year, we passed through the gorge right at sunset.

The clouds started glowing and the virgin river reflected pink. I pulled off to take pictures and the color lasted long enough to get the lead image and the one below from the camping area at the top.

Scenic landscape of colorful rock formations and hills at sunset in a desert environment.

On other planned trips I was down at the river level at sunset.

A tranquil river flowing past sandy banks, with rugged, sunlit hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

It’s a short but steep trail down to the river area from the camping area at the top,

A river with gentle waves flows through a rocky landscape, surrounded by golden autumn foliage and majestic mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

When clouds are brewing this is a spot I like to go to. It’s much more of a sunset park than sunrise.

A scenic view of a river winding through rugged, mountainous terrain with colorful rock formations under a dramatic sky.

Coming Up

I am still editing Milky Way Images and an about finished.

I have a new Benro Polaris star tracker to discuss. The learning curve is very steep. I spent a lot of time this Spring trying to get this to work in the field.

This Spring was fabulous for wildflowers in out garden and those images are coming up too.

Please subscribe so you don’t miss them.
Please Click to Subscribe by Email.

If you like this article, please share by email or use one of the share buttons beneath the article.

Put These National Park Images On Your Wall – Use Code “MishSpecial” for 20 percent off.

Mish Moments Fine Art Images

Looking for something else?
Be sure to check out Mish Moments Fine Art Images.

Enhance your walls now.

Mike “Mish” Shedlock

One thought on “Explore the Virgin River Gorge in the Scenic Arizona Strip”

Leave a Reply