Know Before You Go

Park Rules

With so much natural beauty found at Snow Canyon State Park, it’s important that we all continue working hard to protect the land and wildlife for current and future generations. Check out the information below on how you can help!

• Day-use fees can be paid with cash, card or contactless payment at our entrance stations or visitor center. Snow Canyon day-use fees are also valid at exterior lots including: Cinder Cone, Whiterocks, Gila, Snow Canyon Scenic Overlook and Chuckwalla. Passes, fee waivers, and scheduled visits are non-transferable.
• Follow the 25 mph posted speed limit.
• Recreate on designated trails only. Designated scrambling areas include Galoot Hill, Petrified Dunes, and Whiterocks area. As part of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, hiking is limited to designated, mapped trails only. Fee waivers do not grant special privileges. Refer to the park brochure for our trail system.
• Dogs must be leashed (max 6 feet long) and under control at all times. Scoop, bag, and bin all waste. See our B.A.R.K Ranger Code below for more information.
• Park in designated lots only including those located off of SR-18: Cinder Cone, Whiterocks, Gila, Snow Canyon Scenic Overlook and Chuckwalla.
• Some park areas are closed seasonally. Please obey all posted closures.
• Respect wildlife. Wildlife will not be approached or handled, with the exception of a Mojave Desert Tortoise if found on the park road. Follow instructions on the back of our park brochure for safe, legal relocation.
• Pack It In – Pack More Of It Out. Help us keep our park beautiful.
• Camping in designated campground only. Reservations can be made 48 hours to 4 months in advance online through the Reserve tab. Camping within 48 hours is walk up only.
  • Parking is limited in the canyon; particularly during busy spring and fall periods or holidays. Your pass does not guarantee access; parking; or special privileges in the canyon. Lots that accommodate buses: Chuckwalla, Padre/Johnson Canyon, Sand Dunes Picnic, Campground, Upper Galoot Picnic and Gila.
• Fires in designated fire rings/grills only. Please follow current fire restrictions.
• Do not modify park resources. This includes moving rocks; cutting or trimming plants; writing on rocks; etc. All plants, wildlife, rocks and natural features are protected.
• Drones and canyoneering by advance permit only. Please visit our Permit tab for more information.
  For Professional Photography, Weddings, and Elopements; Please visit our Permit tab for information and scheduling.
• Prohibited: Skateboards, rollerblades, and scooters.

Cycling Etiquette and Safety

Cycling is one of the best ways to experience Snow Canyon State Park. However, before hopping on your bike and hitting the trail, watch this video first. These tips will help ensure your ride goes as smoothly as possible – and that you, other visitors, wildlife and the land can all continue to thrive. Watch the cycling safety video here.

Recreating with Dogs

Meet the B.A.R.K Rangers: B.A.R.K. Rangers Kodiak and Franky want to let you know all the trails in the park are now dog friendly! Snow Canyon is a special place to so many of us, and we want you to share it with your furry friends. To keep your pets safe, the park clean, and respect this shared space, we ask all visitors and their pups to follow the B.A.R.K. Ranger code.

B. Bag (and dispose of) your pets waste.
Dog feces can carry diseases that wild animals are more sensitive to than domestic animals. Not to mention, no one wants to hike around trying to while avoiding stepping in

A. Always wear a leash.
Snow Canyon is full of beauty, but also cliffs and wild animals that deserve their space. Even the best behaved of dogs can cause harmful amounts of stress to wildlife, such as the desert tortoise. In addition, Snow Canyon is a shared space, and you never know when another person or dog may be fearful of yours. For these reasons dogs are required to be on a leash at all times, and under the owners control. Leashes must be under 6ft.

R. Respect wildlife.
Rattlesnakes, gila monsters and coyotes, oh my! The presence of a dog may cause an animal to feel more threatened than a human alone. Maintaining your distance from wildlife will help keep your pup safe and wildlife unharmed. Even if they just approach the animal, it can do more harm than you realize. For example, tortoises may release their water reserve from their bladder as a self-defense mechanism when approached by a dog. This can leave the animal dangerously dehydrated.

K. Know where you can go.
Snow Canyon is a designated trail park. This means that off-trail hiking is not allowed. Always refer to your map to make sure that you are on a legal trail. Off trail travel can collapse burrows, trapping animals underground. So bring all your paws and boots to the trail!

Protect Our Past

• Leave All Artifacts: Moving or taking artifacts, even just one, can destroy the ability for archaeologists to learn from a site. Descendant groups often prefer for artifacts to remain in place.
• Guide Children Through Sites: Teach children to stay on trails and respect archaeological sites.
• View Sites From a Distance: If a site is not accessible, you may be injured trying to reach it or you could cause damage to other sites and ecosystems along the way.
• Don’t Touch or Rock Imagery or Make Your Own: Touching rock imagery can leave oils from your hands on the rock that increase erosion and cause damage.
• Historic Artifacts Aren’t Trash: Trash from more than 50 years ago is considered archaeology and archaeologists can learn about past people from it.
• Avoid Building Cairns: Land managers have created trail markers and signs, making additional cairns is unnecessary.

Climber Code of Ethics

As climbers we have a unique opportunity to be stewards of the environment we spend so much time in, and leaders in guaranteeing the preservation of it, and our ability to access our treasured outdoor resources. Help keep access to climbing sites and public lands open by doing the following:

1. Access

• Be aware of and observe seasonal closures, access requirements and agreements.
• Communicate to other climbers and user groups concerning these issues to make everyone aware.
• Carefully consider the consequences of your actions and the enjoyment of future visitors to the site.
• Check with the managing land agency (State Parks, National Parks, BLM, etc) before developing new routes or installing fixed hardware; permission or permits are typically required.

2. Impact

• Be a good steward of public lands: Protect native plants, animals, geology and the cultural resources of the site.
• Help reduce impact and preserve a safe climbing environment by keeping groups to six or fewer climbers.
• Respect other site users, both climbers and non-climbers by not sprawling your gear everywhere, or piling your gear and packs on top of other’s gear and packs.
• Educate your group, particularly kids, about respecting others space and keeping noise down.
• Be respectful: Keep music low or turn it off if asked.
• Watch your language around other climbers or climbers with children.
• Protect sensitive sandstone: Wait at least 24-hours following rainstorms to climb.
• Avoid any actions that cause unnecessary erosion or impacts to fragile cryptobiotic soils.
• Use existing trails or washes and do not leave unnecessary cairns or markers.
• Avoid blazing new trails.
• Do not disturb nesting birds.
• Do not remove existing vegetation from a cliff.
• Don’t manufacture holds or chip rock.
• In areas that allow dogs, please keep dogs on a leash to avoid harassment of wildlife.
• Respect other users by not allowing your dog to run around belayers and ropes, causing an unsafe distraction.

3. Waste

• Pack it in, pack it out (this includes human waste).
• Dispose of garbage and human waste in a hygienic and responsible manner.
• If you see rubbish left by other users please take it out too.
• Pay particular attention to the small things (cigarette butts, fruit labels and silver foil).
• They are an unsightly degradation to the climbing site.
• Use toilets where provided.
• If they are not available, bury human waste at least 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 steps from any water source, wash or access trail.
• Better yet, use a WAG Bag and carry out human waste and toilet paper.

4. Fire

• Fire is a serious threat to both safety and ecology.
• Avoid all risk of fire.
• Only light fires in designated fire rings in well-cleared areas.
• Think about where you are using your fuel stove and be responsible with its use.
• Observe all seasonal fire restrictions.
• Remember restrictions apply to fuel stoves and smokers.

5. Traditions

• Consider ethical issues established for the area you are using.
• Check in with local climbing shops, Federal (BLM, NPS, US Forest Service) or State Park headquarters if you are unsure about the use of chalk, placing fixed hardware, proper access to climbing sites, etc.
• In other words, ASK FIRST.
• Avoiding climber conflicts by respecting established climbing traditions related to specific sites.
• Avoid indiscriminate and excessive use of fixed hardware.
• Don’t modify existing climbs.
• This includes retro bolting, chipping holds and adding holds.
• Preserve climbs in the spirit of the first ascent.
• Sometimes unsafe or outdated hardware may need replacement.
• Please check with the managing land agency before replacing or removing.

6. Safety

• A helmet can save your life.
• Your safety is your responsibility.
• Climbing is a high-risk activity and rock can be unstable.
• Pay attention to the age and use of your equipment and use good judgment when climbing.
• Alert uninformed or new climbers to potential dangers.
• Resolve any emerging disputes in a civilized manner.
• Keep noise levels to a minimum to ensure that all climbers can communicate with each other.
• Proper climbing checks and calls ensure that climbers at a cliff base are less likely to be in danger from falling rocks and climbing equipment, like dropped gear and pulled ropes.
• Communication between lead climber and belayer is essential.
• Screaming and yelling indiscriminately by other persons is a distraction and may cause an accident.
• If you are climbing with kids, educate them about the dangers of playing too near the drop zone where climbing is occurring.
• If you have a portable crib, DO NOT set it up where any potential rock fall, climber fall, rope fall, etc. might occur.

7. Commercial Use

• A Commercial Use Permit is required if you conduct commercial, for-profit activities on public land.
• This includes guided outings, therapeutic activities or other services rendered.
• Check with the managing land agency (NPS, BLM, State Parks, etc.) for more information.