Patty Arnett has been riding horses for more than 30 years. She has owned stables, competed internationally, and bred horses — and she runs Snow Canyon Trail Rides on the north border of Snow Canyon State Park, roughly 20 minutes from downtown St. George. The operation runs from the Red Mountain Wilderness area, with winter rides shifting to the Cottonwood Wilderness when conditions change.
Arnett offers three formats: a 90-minute trail ride through the volcanic landscape of the park's edge, a 2-hour ride out to the Donut Hole rock formation, and a 3-hour rim tour that descends into canyon country with panoramic views across the state park below. Each session is capped at six riders, which is small enough that a guide can speak to each horse-rider pairing rather than manage a line. The terrain itself — black lava flows, red sandstone walls, and the sudden drops of the canyon rim — does much of the explaining.
The operation is listed with Utah State Parks as an authorized trail guide service in Snow Canyon, a designation that requires demonstrated knowledge of the park's trail protocols and equine management standards.
**Verification notes** Website live; Patty Arnett confirmed as owner on the business's main page as "knowledgeable and experienced horsewoman for over 30 years" with international competition and stable ownership history. Phone confirmed. Utah State Parks authorized listing confirmed. TripAdvisor active.
Sources
- https://www.snowcanyontrailrides.com/
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57119-d2098503-Reviews-Snow_Canyon_Trail_Rides-St_George_Utah.html
- https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon/snow-canyon-trail-guides/
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/snow-canyon-trail-rides-st-george-2
- https://greaterzion.com/activities/horseback-riding/