Sunday Drive - Snowy Pine Valley

One of the reasons many people decide to make Washington County home is the weather. They grow tired of shoveling snow in the winter and move south from northern Utah, Idaho, and other parts north.

But occasionally, you might get an urge to go see the white stuff and enjoy the scenery and the cold. You can head up to Brain Head and check out the ski lifts, and this year, they've gotten so much snow they opened a few weeks ago - the earliest opening in the history of the resort.

There is, however a shorter drive one can take to enjoy a little winter-wonderland-type scenery and it's our Sunday Drive for this week.

Pine Vally is on the north side of Pine Valley Moutain and at an elevation of over 6,500 feet so the snow tends to stick around up there much longer than it does almost anywhere else in Washington County.

If you visit, you'll find a number of homes in the town, a recreation area, and a small reservoir. There are a few places in town where a little sledding can take place. There's also the historic Pine Valley Chapel - a beautiful landmark at the center of town and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's oldest meetinghouse that's been in continual use since its construction.

Built in 1868, the Pine Valley Chapel was designed by a Scottish shipbuilder and LDS convert, Ebenezer Bryce – the same fellow Bryce Canyon is named after. Bryce has experience with shipbuilding and the chapel was built using the same techniques. So the chapel is basically an upside-down ship. The white clapboard architectural style is reminiscent of New England churches. The church was built with nearby Ponderosa pines, from the same area where pines were shipped to Salt Lake City for the famous Salt Lake Tabernacle.

There's also a restaurant in Pine Valley called the Brandin' Iron Steakhouse and it's worth the drive in the summer months to head on up for a meal. Unfortunately, they are only open on the weekends from April through October, but they are open for parties and banquets in November and December, according to their website.

Pine Valley is a beautiful spot just 45 minutes north of us and no matter the season, it's worth a drive to explore the scenery that's very different from the red rocks and desert surrounding us here in St. George.

We feature a new Sunday Drive every week on our blog and social media channels so check back for more great ideas on places to explore in southern Utah and the surrounding areas!