Expand Your Views of St. George Walking the Temple Quarry Trail

You may have heard how the site for the St. George temple was a soggy bog in 1871 and the settlers of the area drained it, then used lava rock for the foundation. They used an old cannon brought in from California to pound the rocks into place. 

Would you like to see where those lava rocks came from? The Temple Quarry Trail begins on the bluff behind the old airport, now known as Tech Ridge. It’s an easy hike that goes 2 miles out and back. There are a couple spots where the trail gets moderately steep. It is good for kids, and you can take pets on a leash. There are no bathroom facilities, and it will take you an hour to an hour and a half walking moderately. 

The views are everywhere in all directions. The trail goes along the bluff and the around the backside, giving you views of St. George, Green Valley and into Santa Clara and Ivins. It’s enjoyable and instructive. Make sure you bring some water, especially as Southern Utah heats up. 

I do wonder why the early settlers picked this exact spot to retrieve the stone blocks. They used lava rock because of its resistance to alkalinity and of course how hard it is. But it seems like there are plenty of places to get it on the temple side of the Bluff. Why did they travel 2 miles around the bluff to that particular spot, seem like a lot more work. 

There is an abundance of big blocks at the quarry spot so maybe that’s it. Or maybe everything had to be hard in those days and rolling them from the top was too easy. Nevertheless, hiking this trail is a great way to get outside and learn something about the area.