Dixie Rock is famous for its view, but one place is widely forgotten where the entire city is there at your fingertips.
Webb Hill, located on Hillrise Avenue, takes you to higher altitudes than most scenic spots in St. George, and it is easy and accessible.
You can run, bike, hike or drive up the trail, but Kalin Ashby, a junior biology major from Orem, suggests riding in a truck. If you decide to drive in a low car, the bottom may get scraped by big rocks on the way up.
As you make your way up the trail, you will find a gate with a sign telling you to be cautious of radio frequencies. There are posted signs telling you how to be careful, and if you do so, it is safe to take the route. If the signs advise you to refrain from hiking to the top, it is because the radio frequency fields may exceed Federal Communications Commission rules for human exposure.
The trail is steep but easy enough to wear jeans and good walking shoes.
“It’s easy, but it’s better than what most people would expect,” Ashby said. “When people think of viewing St. George, Webb Hill doesn’t exactly come to mind. You can see everything up here, and when you go to Dixie Rock, you don’t see near as much.”
Kyle Brandt, a junior CIT major from St. George, said the view is mind-blowing.
“It’s crazy how big it is,” Brandt said. “The view is amazing. You can see all of St. George, even Santa Clara.”
Brandt and Ashby said the hike is more of a stroll. They have never made the hike after sunset, but they said it would be a gorgeous view to see at night.
At the top of the hill, there is a radio tower closed by a gate, but there is an open shed you can sit atop and dangle your feet as you look at the city. If you turn and look at the south end of the city (Bloomington area), there are rocks you can sit atop that are similar to cliffs, and you get an entirely new view.
“If you’re going to enjoy the view, sitting on the shed is ideal,” Ashby said. “But if you’re going for adventure, the rocks are your way to go.”
As you sit on the shed, you see St. George, Washington, Santa Clara and the old airport. The view from the rocks contains Bloomington and numerous hills used for mountain biking and motocross.
Webb Hill is also an adventurous place to go mountain biking. As you take the trail, you see multiple bike trails and jumps that could send a biker clean into the air.
To find Webb Hill, go south on River Road and turn right onto Fort Pierce Drive. Follow the road past the St. George Golf Course and take a left on Bloomington Hills Drive. Continue past the golf course, and you’ll see a little pond on the left surrounded by geese, ducks and pelicans. Don’t get distracted because you’ll then make a right-hand turn onto N. Fort Pierce Drive. Make the first left, Hillrise Avenue, and the road will then turn into the dirt trail to take you up the hill.