St George, Utah

utah.htm"--> St George is a city on the southwestern corner of Utah. The seat of Washington County, St George covers 64.9 sq mi (168 sq km) and has a population of 73,000 people (2011 estimate). The city is closer to Las Vegas (119 miles away) than to Salt Lake City (303 miles away).

Punchbowl Dome, near St George, Utah
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punchbowl_Dome_1.jpg
Author: Stan Shebs


St George is the hottest city in Utah. It experiences a subtropical arid climate. The hottest month is July, when the maximum temperature can reach 102°F (39°C). January is the coldest month, with average low temperature of 29°F (-2°C). The city receives just 8.77 in (222.8 mm) of rain per year.

St George is 2,860 ft (872 m) above sea level. While that may be high by other standards, it is the lowest elevation of any main city in Utah. It is located on the northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert, and surrounded by mountains and sandstone buttes. The Virgin River cuts through the city while the Santa Clara River drains the western part of it.

St George owes its existence to Mormon settlers who established it in 1861 under the direction of their leader Brigham Young. It was named after George A. Smith, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In an attempt at being self sufficient, the settlers grew cotton, but was unable to be market competitive. Consequently cotton farming was abandoned.

St George was the site where the United States government detonated a 32-kiloton atomic bomb. The fallout from the above-ground nuclear test was carried by winds through St George and southern Utah, causing an increase in cancer cases from the mid-1950s through the 1980s. Nonetheless it became a popular retirement destination since the 1970s, due to its arid climate.

Visiting St George

St George is the first main city on Interstate 15 from the south. You can reach it on the I-15 from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Turn off at Exit 6 (from the south) and 8 (from the north).

Places of Interest in St George

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