I’m looking for a recommendation for a base in Utah for a 1 week stay as part of a bigger trip next year.
During the week we would like to do:
MBing – 2 or 3 days but I will need to hire a bike
Horse riding for Mrs Pembo while I do MBing
Visit Zion and Bryce canyons
Boat trip on Lake Powell

St George seems the obvious choice, any other suggestions?

utah saints! 😆

What time of year are you going? The elevation changes means the weather in say Bryce can be quite different to Zion, which may make a difference on where you want to base yourselves

You can go horseriding in Bryce (although I suppose it’s debatable as to whether it’s actually horse riding 🙂

Looking at late September or early October. Mrs would like some decent horse riding as well.

Heard St George is nice though bypassed it myself. Zion and Bryce are well worth a visit. If you get to Springfield, an entrance to Zion, there is a bike shop there that does hire bikes. Aim for Gooseberry Mesa or a (Horsethief?) bench ride – the shop can help. Certainly 2-3 days riding here. Not sure about horse riding but would be surprised if not available.

Also look out for the ghost town of Grafton which you can drive to from Springfield. ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ was partly filmed here (The ‘raindrops keep falling on my head’ scene)

we took in Moab as a part of a trip down there from Brekenridge a couple of years ago, Moab is a sweet town with about 7 bike shops, all good ones too! this one was v good, nice kit – helpful – good spanner monkey and hire out bikes + they will show you the good off piste, not that you really need it the on stuff is epic.
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some reasonable hotels as well.

I haven’t been there but had some friends who stayed in the Park City area. The area has just about every kind of outdoors recreation and a lot of bike trails for every skill level. I would be surprised if there wasn’t horseback riding available.
That time of year is just about the very best weatherwise. I’d say 90% chance of warm days, cool nights and lots of blue sky.

I’ll admit that my view is somewhat coloured by having fallen off in a motel car park there and ending up in the OR having an op to reseat a finger thus missing 5 days guided mountain biking in Brian Head but St George is not a place you would want to spend any time in.

It’s kind bland suburban sprawl’n’mall with no character.

Obviously can’t comment on the cycling… 🙄

I’ve heard good things about Bryce and Zion though (scenery is certainly stunning).

You would probably get more help on here: MTBR – Utah Merkins tend to be super helpful…

Moab has buckets more going for it atmosphere wise though (IMHO).