Famed for its ski resort, Brian Head is a small town on the edge of the Dixie National Forest in south-west Utah. It was originally known as Monument Peak and was renamed in the early 20th century after the 3,448-metre-high summit of Brian Head.
Things to do in Brian Head
If you’re visiting in the winter months, you can hit the downhill runs of the Brian Head Ski Resort, which boasts 270 hectares of skiable terrain across its two mountains. Beginners should head to Navajo Peak to practise on its gentle terrain, while advanced skiers can tackle the challenging runs of Brian Head Peak. In addition to a terrain park, there is also an on-site ski school.
A short drive from Brian Head is the Cedar Breaks National Monument, a spectacular amphitheatre that plunges to a depth of more than 600 metres. In the warmer months, you can follow the short Alpine Pond Trail that leads through a wildflower meadow and offers magnificent views of the “Breaks”. In the winter months, the canyon provides a setting for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Anglers can visit Panguitch Lake, which is a popular destination for luring rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout. It forms part of the Dixie National Forest with its high-altitude plateaus, desert vegetation and pinyon pines. You can marvel at the ochre sandstone formations of Red Canyon, peer into Death Hollow or soak up the views across three different states from Powell Point.
Getting around Brian Head
Brian Head is around 40 minutes’ drive from Cedar City Regional Airport, which has regular flights to Salt Lake City. By road, the Utah capital is 3.5 hours away. Shuttles are available from Cedar City to Brian Head during the ski season and lifts connect to the surrounding slopes.