Overview
Panguitch is a city of 1,700 people (2017) in the Canyon Country of Utah in the Western United States. Panguitch is a good jumping-off point for travelers who want to hike in the Grand Circle of U.S. national parks.
1 sights · 1 things to do · 3 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Panguitch
Downtown Panguitch
Downtown Panguitch is a well preserved example of American frontier architecture. Dressed up slightly differently, you could easily film something set in the 19th century here.
Dixie National Forest
There is lodging inside the national forest along with a lake.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 17°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jan and Aug. (climate data from nearby Bryce Canyon National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CDC Cedar City Regional Airport, Cedar City — 37 mi away. Directions
- SGU St George Regional Airport, St George — 80 mi away. Directions
- LAS Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas — 192 mi away (major hub). Directions
The main road into the town is the north-south U.S. Route 89, which also provides connections in the direction of Zion National Park and Lake Powell to the south.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Downtown Panguitch
- Lunch Backroads Bistro
- Afternoon Dixie National Forest
- Dinner Cowboy's Smokehouse Cafe
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Panguitch is about 23 miles (37 km) from Bryce Canyon National Park and is within the Grand Circle.
The name Panguitch comes from a Southern Paiute word meaning “Big Fish,” likely named after the plentiful nearby lakes hosting rainbow trout year-round.
Climate
Panguitch has a cool semi-arid climate with summers featuring hot afternoons and cold mornings, and cold, dry winters. The high altitude and relatively high latitude means that mornings are cold throughout the year and freezing for most of it. Maxima, however, can be expected to top freezing on all but 14 afternoons during an average year, and the winters are so dry that snowfall is light.
In a manner more akin to Arizona than northern Utah, most of the limited precipitation occurs during the July to October monsoon season, but Garfield County is usually too far north to receive the monsoon's full benefit.
Get in
By car
The main road into the town is the north-south U.S. Route 89, which also provides connections in the direction of Zion National Park and Lake Powell to the south.
When driving from Salt Lake City to Panguitch, take Interstate 15 south through Beaver, then take Route 20 east across a mountain range, and then drive down Route 89 south to Panguitch.
Get around
By car
The roads in Panguitch are a grid, so getting around in a vehicle is simple. Main Street and Center Street are the primary streets in the town. Main Street goes north and south, and Center Street goes east and west. U.S. Route 89 enters the town from the north and follows Main Street to Center Street. It then goes east along Center Street and leaves the town.
See
See Downtown Panguitch
Downtown Panguitch is a well preserved example of American frontier architecture. Dressed up slightly differently, you could easily film something set in the 19th century here.
Do
Buy
Eat
Eat Cowboy's Smokehouse Cafe
Barbecue food. Occasionally has live music. Very crowded when there is live music. Menu offers a lot of meat. A vegetarian or vegan would have trouble ordering a full meal here.
Sleep
Stay Bryce Canyon Motel
Go next
- Bryce Canyon — Panguitch serves as a good jumping-off point for Bryce Canyon National Park.
Nearby
Bryce Canyon National Park
Park · 31 listings · 22 mi away
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Park · 8 listings · 26 mi away
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Park · 7 listings · 32 mi away
Beaver
City / town · 13 listings · 33 mi away
Cedar City
City / town · 16 listings · 36 mi away
Mount Carmel Junction
City / town · 34 listings · 44 mi away
Zion National Park
Park · 40 listings · 49 mi away
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Park · 12 listings · 50 mi away
My experience
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