Dixie National Forest, National forest with red sandstone formations in Utah, United States.

Dixie National Forest covers almost two million acres across southern Utah, stretching about 170 miles and straddling the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River. It is Utah's largest national forest, with elevations from 2,800 feet near St. George to 11,322 feet at Blue Bell Knoll on Boulder Mountain. The southern rim near the Colorado River has multi-colored cliffs and steep-walled gorges.

The forest was protected by the Forest Service in 1906 and named after the term Dixie, which Mormon settlers used for their region. The name preserves the connection to the early settlers who developed the area.

The name "Dixie" comes from the warm southern corner of Utah, which early settlers likened to the American South. Ranger district offices and visitor centers sit at Cedar City (Duck Creek Visitor Center), Escalante, Pine Valley in St. George, and Powell in Panguitch, where the Red Canyon Visitor Center serves travelers.

The area has multiple campgrounds and visitor centers in Cedar City, Escalante, Pine Valley, and Powell offering information for outdoor activities. Visitors should know that elevation changes are significant and weather varies greatly depending on location.

Boulder Mountain within this forest holds hundreds of small lakes at elevations between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, creating a rare high-altitude plateau ecosystem. These water bodies at such elevation are uncommon and make this mountain ridge particularly interesting for hikers.