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Thunderbird Garden Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 151 Google reviews · Running trail in Cedar City, Utah · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Thunderbird Garden Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Area with hiking trails and a disc golf course, featuring red rock formations.
What runners say about Thunderbird Garden Trailhead
“The red rock and greenery are a gorgeous contrast.”
“Amazing views, great hikes for all levels of experience, and fun for the whole family.”
This place has amazing trails. Not a lot of miles of trials yet... But sounds like 50 miles in the works. The lightning switch trail is pretty steep and has a lot of very tight switchbacks. More light colored (whitish) dirt on the lightning side of the canyon, red dirt and red Rock in the Thor's side.
Excellent choices for hiking! We did the Thor's Hideout / Lookout trail and it was a fairly easy hike. Only 3.2 miles there and back with just over 500 feet of elevation gain. My 9.year olds had no problems with it. Great views and a fun throne at the end!
18th hole is quite the tee spot. Definitely a challenging desert course. Not the easiest to follow. Bring some water and good footwear. Hiking and MTB trails also start from the parking area. Nice desert red rock scenery.
What a neat hidden gem right outside of Cedar City! Like being dropped off on Mars. There’s a disc golf course running all through the area and though we’ve never played, it looked like a great time. We even had a few deer join us.
Trail conditions & character
“Amazing views, great hikes for all levels of experience, and fun for the whole family.”
“There are several mountain biking trails surrounding the parking lot.”
“Restroom was open, easy to get to and excellent for hiking biking quading horses.”
“The lightning switch trail is pretty steep and has a lot of very tight switchbacks.”
Plan your run at Thunderbird Garden Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websiteblm.gov
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Cedar City
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Canyon Park, East Side
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Green space on Coal Creek with a picnic pavilion, playground, shade trees & BBQ grills.
Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park
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Green space with a playground, picnic tables, volleyball court, and trails, plus a babbling brook.
Red Hollow Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 199 reviews
Popular recreation area featuring red rock formations and hiking and bike trails for all skill levels.