Brian Head: Peaks, Trails and Recreational Activities

Brian Head offers several points to consider when planning your trip: high-altitude paths, mountain biking trails, recreational activities and destinations in the surrounding region. If you’re looking for a hotel in Brian Head, you can start by considering which of these activities you want to shape your stay. Information about elevation, scale and access varies by offering; for seasonal operations in particular, it’s worth checking the relevant conditions before your visit.

Elevation, Peaks and Local History

Most paths in Brian Head are between 9,000 and 11,000 feet in elevation. Brian Head Peak reaches 11,307 feet; from there, views extend into the neighboring states of Arizona and Nevada. The peak is seasonally accessible. A stone cabin stands on the peak, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1935 and 1937. It has become a landmark of the peak. The area’s history also provides context: Brian Head was formerly known as Monument Peak and Bear Flats.

For trip planning, these different aspects go hand in hand: the elevation of the paths, the distant views from the peak and a historic structure on the same peak. If you’re planning a visit to the peak, check seasonal access in advance.

Trails and Mountain Biking

Brian Head Resort has more than 100 miles of downhill singletrack trails for mountain biking. Trail availability may vary depending on the season and conditions. The Sydney Peak Trailhead is also near Brian Head Peak. It serves as a starting point for hiking and mountain biking trails in Dixie National Forest. These two details offer different points of reference: at the resort, the focus is on the size of the singletrack network, while Sydney Peak is an access point to trails in the national forest. Conditions on individual trails may vary.

Recreational Activities in Town and at the Resort

A 2025 operator description mentions the resort’s 18-hole disc golf course, which is accessible only via the Giant Steps Express. The description also identifies the Express as a lift that takes visitors to the resort’s summit, where they can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Lift operations are seasonal; access conditions for the disc golf course may also change seasonally. Before visiting, check whether the activity you want is available during your travel dates.

Bristlecone Pond offers the public picnic areas, fire pits, a playground, volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts, as well as a one-hole disc golf course. Individual facilities may change. Brian Head Resort’s tubing area has several lanes and a conveyor lift; its operations may vary seasonally. Brian Head Ice is a recreational ice rink surrounded by mountain trees. Its operating schedule may also vary. The various offerings range from public spaces at Bristlecone Pond to activities at the resort and on the ice rink, and they may not all follow the same seasonal schedules.

Destinations in the Surrounding Region

Cedar Breaks National Monument is five minutes from Brian Head via Highway 143. Its canyon is half a mile deep and features red rock formations. Road and seasonal access conditions may vary; take this into account when planning a visit. A few miles west of Brian Head is Twisted Forest. There, a one-mile round-trip trail passes through a grove of bristlecone pines and is considered family-friendly. Trail and road conditions may also change here.

The two destinations offer different highlights: at Cedar Breaks, the canyon and red rock formations define the landscape, while the trail at Twisted Forest passes through bristlecone pines. This lets you choose between a scenic destination and a specific short loop for your outing, without treating the two places as one connected trail.

Shuttle and Travel Season

Brian Head Town offers a shuttle service during ski season and at select summer events. Operating periods may change. If your plans depend on an event or a particular time of year, check in advance whether the shuttle will be running then. Along with seasonal access to the peak, the resort lift and other recreational activities, the time of year is an important factor when weighing activities for your stay in Brian Head.

Discover more destinations: Parowan, Cedar City.

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