Virgin, UT

Virgin is a quiet desert community of under a thousand people, settled along the Virgin River just west of Zion National Park. Life here centers on open space and red rock canyon views. Around Heritage Town Square, you will find the historic town hall and an old pioneer church, while nearby Virgin Town Park offers pickleball courts, ball fields, and a shaded playground for families. Down on the river off Sheep Bridge Road, Falls Park is the town's go-to summer spot for swimming and relaxing by the water.

ATTRC. G. P. Grey / CC BY 2.0

Because State Route 9 cuts right through on the way to Zion, there is a steady hum of park visitors, but residential pockets stay calm and spread out. Living in Virgin means having world-famous hiking and mountain biking trails right out your back door, plus dark night skies, with the bigger stores and services in Hurricane and St. George only a short drive away.