Big Round Valley

4.3/5 (6 reviews)
Sinkholes are surface depressions or holes created by the collapse of an underlying cave. We've all seen stories on the news about sinkholes in Florida swallowing cars and entire houses, but most people wouldn't expect to find them in Utah. However, sinkholes do occur in Utah. Some have even swallo...Read More
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Highlights of Big Round Valley

Camping Category IconCamping
Desert Category IconDesert
Rock Category IconRock
Sand Category IconSand
Scenic Category IconScenic
Wash Category IconWash
Highest Elevation
3175 ft
Shape of Trail
Loop
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
N/A
Official Trail Name
Big Round Valley
Nearest Town
Saint George
Nearest Services
Saint George
Management Agency
Bureau of Land Management
District
St. George Field Office

Overview

Sinkholes are surface depressions or holes created by the collapse of an underlying cave. We've all seen stories on the news about sinkholes in Florida swallowing cars and entire houses, but most people wouldn't expect to find them in Utah. However, sinkholes do occur in Utah. Some have even swallowed and diverted rivers. For several months in 1985, a sinkhole diverted the entire Virgin River, 2 miles east of Pah Tempe Hot Springs. A similar occurrence happened in 1996 when La Verkin Creek disappeared into a sinkhole for nearly a week. These holes were eventually backfilled to restore the water flow. Big Round Valley trail travels to an area where multiple large sinkholes can be seen and even driven through. The most spectacular of the sinkholes is large enough to swallow several houses. It occupies over 1/10 of an acre, measuring approximately 80 feet in diameter and 60 feet deep. This and other nearby sinkholes are found in stream-terrace sediments that were deposited by the Virgin River before it carved out its current channel.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
15 Waypoints
47 Trail Photos
3 Trail Concerns
6 Community Reviews
1 Video
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