Canyon Park sits where Center Street meets the mouth of Cedar Canyon on the east edge of Cedar City, split in two by Coal Creek. The Canyon Park east side, which the city calls East Canyon Park, is at 500 E Center St with a pavilion, playground, grills and a parking lot right off the highway; the west side, West Canyon Park, is at 133 S 400 E with its own pavilion, the creek-fed water play and the Coal Creek Trail trailhead. Both are free, dog-friendly and open to everyone. We checked the city's park pages and both Google listings on October 11, 2026.
Canyon Park, Cedar City (East Side): Trail, Pavilions and Parking quick facts
- East side
- 500 E Center St, Cedar City, UT 84720
- West side
- 133 S 400 E, Cedar City, UT 84720
- Cost
- Free; pavilion rental by reservation
- Pavilion season
- Mid-April to mid-October
- Reservations
- (435) 865-9223
- Trail
- Coal Creek Trail, paved, about 4 miles west plus 2 miles up the canyon
What is on the east side of Canyon Park in Cedar City?
The east side of Canyon Park, which Cedar City calls East Canyon Park, is at 500 E Center St where Center Street becomes Highway 14 at the mouth of Cedar Canyon. It has a reservable pavilion with electricity, a playground, restrooms, barbecue grills, three picnic tables, a volleyball court and a parking lot, with Coal Creek and the paved Coal Creek Trail along its edge.
| Amenity | East side (East Canyon Park) | West side (West Canyon Park) |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 500 E Center St | 133 S 400 E |
| Pavilion | Yes, with electricity, reservable | Yes, with electricity, reservable |
| Playground | Yes | Yes |
| Restrooms | Yes | Yes |
| Picnic tables | 3 | 4 |
| Barbecue grills | Yes | Not listed |
| Volleyball court | Yes | Yes |
| Coal Creek Trail | Trail runs along the park | Listed trail access; trailhead for the paved trail west |
| Water play | Creek access down the bank | Diverted creek water channels, when the water is on |
| Parking | Lot off Center Street | Driveway between two homes on 400 East |
| Dogs | Allowed (Google listing) | Allowed (Google listing) |
Where is the Canyon Park east side parking lot?
The Canyon Park east side lot is off Center Street (Highway 14) at 500 East, on the south side of the road just before the highway enters Cedar Canyon, about six blocks east of Main Street. Cyclists use it as the start of the Cedar Canyon climb, and it is the closest parking to the canyon end of the Coal Creek Trail.
Open the location in Google Maps for directions.
How is the east side different from West Canyon Park?
Both halves are one park, Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park, divided by Coal Creek. The east side at 500 E Center St fronts the highway, has the grills and the easy parking lot, and sits closest to the canyon. The west side at 133 S 400 E is tucked into a neighborhood, has the diverted creek channels children play in, one more picnic table, and the trailhead the city lists for the Coal Creek Trail.
The names confuse people because the city's own pages carry the Ann J. Gardner name on both sides, while Google Maps lists the east half as "Canyon Park, East Side" and the west half as "Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park". If someone says to meet at Canyon Park, ask which side: the two entrances are a block apart by road but separated by the creek.
The west side's water feature is creek water from Cedar Canyon that the city lets flow through the park under an agreement with the South and West Field Irrigation Company, a gravity-fed system that has served the older neighborhoods since 1943. The company shuts it off after storms turn the water silty and there is no set schedule, so the channels can be dry on a hot day. Our West Canyon Park listing has the details for that side.
Where does the Coal Creek Trail go from Canyon Park?
The Coal Creek Trail is a paved path along the creek. From Canyon Park it runs west about four miles through town, under Highway 14 and Main Street, past Veterans Park, the Cedar City Visitor Center and Memorial Grove Park to Bicentennial Park. East of the park a separate section follows the creek about two miles up Cedar Canyon on the south side of Highway 14.
Visit Cedar City lists the in-town section at 4.16 miles with 180 feet of elevation gain as an out-and-back from the west side of the park, or a one-way walk if you leave a second car at Bicentennial Park. The canyon section is the prettier walk, with the creek beside you and the Navajo sandstone closing in; Google reviewers describe biking it in about 20 minutes and walking it in about 40 to reach a small waterfall.
Two cautions. Visit Cedar City notes that in 2026 the Bureau of Land Management began closing the canyon section of the trail at night to deal with illegal camping, and it does not give the hours, so plan canyon walks for daylight. And the creek runs cold and fast in spring runoff, so keep children on the trail side of the bank.
How do I reserve a pavilion at Canyon Park?
Reserve either pavilion in person at the Cedar City Aquatic Center, 2090 W Royal Hunte Dr, or by phone at (435) 865-9223. Reservations run mid-April to mid-October only, as a half day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) or a full day, and include the volleyball court. Booking for the year opens the first working day in January.
The city takes cash, check, debit and credit cards, and does not refund rain-outs but will move your date. Holiday dates can be booked. Fees are on a separate city page we could not load, so call for the current rate. Without a reservation the pavilions and tables are first come, first served, and outside the reservation season they are always first come, first served. Full rules are on the city's pavilion reservations page.
Tips for visiting Canyon Park
- Hours: the city publishes no park hours. Google lists the east side closing at 10 p.m. and the west side at 7 p.m.; treat dusk as the practical limit.
- Shade: both sides have mature trees and lawn, which is why locals pick Canyon Park over the newer parks in July.
- Elevation: Cedar City sits at about 5,800 feet, so mornings and evenings are cool even in summer, and the park is a good stop on the way up Highway 14 to Cedar Breaks or Brian Head.
- Events nearby: most Cedar City festivals happen a few blocks west at Main Street Park and on the SUU campus; see our Cedar City events calendar.
- History nearby: the Iron Mission that founded the town in 1851 was set up on this creek; Frontier Homestead State Park on North Main tells that story.