The historic Mormon town in southwest Utah tops the list of "America's Best New Adventure Towns," selected by the editors of Shape magazine in the April issue.
Surrounded by red-rock cliffs and a quick drive from spas and ski resorts, St. George offers plenty of outdoor activities for all seasons. But the real treasure, the editors say, is Snow Canyon State Park, "a hiking/bouldering paradise of pinkish-white cliffs, lava-strewn canyons and petroglyph-adorned boulder fields."
Also on Shape's list:
Bayfield, Wis.
"The Apostle Islands, scattered like steppingstones in Lake Superior, are a mecca for sea canoers and kayakers.''
Fayetteville, W.Va.
"This once-gritty coal-mining town has metamorphosed into the yuppiest sports mecca in the West (Virginia, that is)." Activities include Captain Thurmond's Challenge, an annual June triathlon.
Asheville, N.C.
The mountain town's location, near the toughest portion of the 3,000-mile Appalachian Trail, the highest peaks east of the Mississippi and some of the wildest rivers in the East, make it "a siren for rugged sports enthusiasts."
Lake Placid, N.Y.
"Two Winter Olympics (1932 and 1980) bequeathed an unsurpassed infrastructure to alpine and nordic skiers, as well as ski jumpers, ice skaters and sledders."
Nevada City, Calif.
It may seem merely a gold rush boom town, but "behind the false fronts and fretwork, this sporty town boasts hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking in the Tahoe National Forest."
Ouray, Colo.
Nicknamed "the Switzerland of America," Ouray is a "Victorian gem that sparkles as the capital of American ice climbing."
Rockport, Maine.
An "achingly picturesque village, where life centers around the water but landlubber activities are close by."
Whitefish, Mont.
Nearby this "funky sports town" is Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, where you can "sail away by boat, board or sea canoe, or drop a line for some of the Northwest's best fly-fishing."
Revelstoke, British Columbia.
With hiking trails within the city limits, Revelstoke attracts "hikers, mountaineers, mountain bikers, spelunkers, horseback riders, canoers and anglers, who find the recreation of their dreams right at the doorstep."
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