Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Latest News
Recent News Articles
- March 25, 2024 – Latter-day Saints celebrate dedication of Red Cliffs Utah Temple
- March 24, 2024 – President Eyring dedicates the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, a tribute to faith of the past and confidence in the future
- March 24, 2024 – President Eyring Dedicates Red Cliffs Utah Temple
- March 23, 2024 – A first-ever distinction: St. George will be home to Church’s oldest and newest temples
- January 9, 2024 – Open-house reservations available for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in St. George
- October 16, 2023 – Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
News Stories
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
President Eyring Presides at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple Dedication
"You will find a joy in your service here that is available in no other way," said President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, at the dedication of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple today. "My great-grandfather, Henry Eyring, was one of the pioneers of the St. George area. He served as a recorder in the St. George Utah Temple. I can only imagine his joy to know that there is now a second temple in St. George." For a short time, St. George will be the city with both the oldest operating and most recently dedicated temples of the Church. President Eyring was accompanied by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife Jennifer; Elder Kevin W. Pearson, Utah Area President, and his wife June; along with Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt of the Seventy and his wife, Alexis. The temple becomes the 20th dedicated in Utah and the 189th in the Church.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Open House Begins for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
A news conference was held today to initiate the open house for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, located on the eastern edge of St. George. Journalists were given a tour of the new facility, and additional tours for invited guests will continue through Wednesday. Public tours begin on Thursday, February 1, and continue through Saturday, March 2, excluding Sundays. Reservations are available online.
Photo: Shelly Clark
Open Houses Reservations Available for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Open house reservations are now available for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, located on the eastern side of St. George at 1555 South Red Cliffs Temple Lane. Admission is free, and all are invited. The public portion of the open house will be held from Thursday, February 1, through Saturday, March 2, 2024. Walking tours of approximately 40 minutes will be offered daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., except for Sundays. Reservations are recommended.
Photo: Brooke Tuttle Ulrich
Open House and Dedication Dates for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
The First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple. President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, will dedicate the temple in two sessions on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The public open house will be held Thursday, February 1, through Saturday, March 2, 2024, excluding Sundays. Before the public open house, a media day will be held on Monday, January 29. Invited guests will tour the temple on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 30 and 31.
Photo: Daniel Michael Martinat
Delivery Trucks Arrive at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Delivery trucks have been spotted at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, which is being furnished and prepared for its future opening (no open house and dedication dates have been announced). A United States flag now flies on a flag pole on the east side of the grounds. During the construction of the temple and the renovation of the St. George Utah Temple, Washington County members have attended the temples in Cedar City and Las Vegas.
Photo: Doug Tice
The Glory of God on Display at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
A richly vivid rainbow materialized over the Red Cliffs Utah Temple this week under the warming tones of the golden hour. When God established His covenant with Noah, he said: "And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you" (Genesis 9:14-15). The rainbow is suggestive of the sacred covenants that will be made in this House of the Lord once it is dedicated.
Photo: Spencer Kelly
Landscaping Nearly Completed at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Landscapers at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple grounds are planning to wrap up work in the next few weeks. The missionary trailer will be moved off site shortly afterward, and the missionary couple will be relocated to another facility. Interior finish work is well advanced, as is the installation of stained glass. The mild winter temperatures and sunny skies in St. George has allowed construction to move forward without interruption.
Photo: Pam Burt
Hot-Air Balloon Festival Held Near the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Hot-air balloons filled the sky near the Red Cliffs Utah Temple this weekend for Washington City's Up and Away Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival. Stained glass is being installed in the temple, and plenty of interior finish work remains. With portions of the exterior lighting system in operation, photographers have captured beautiful images of the landmark building in the evenings.
Photo: Diane Jacobson Walker
Red Cliffs Utah Temple Exterior Lighting
The Red Cliffs Utah Temple is a celestial sight under the warm glow of the exterior lighting system that is being installed and tested. Adjustments will be made over the coming weeks until the building is fully and properly lit. Panes of stained glass are being installed in the steeple, and many more plants and trees are being added to the grounds. On the rear side of the temple, a staircase has been installed that leads from the sidewalk to the south plaza.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Glass Installed in the Red Cliffs Utah Temple Steeple
Glass has been installed in the window openings of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple steeple where stained glass will be added in the future. The steeple features coordinating arched openings higher on the steeple that will remain open. The rest of the curbing has been poured for the east parking lot, and some pavement has been laid. Hardscaping of the grounds is advancing including several walkways and a concrete patio that connects the front portico with the entrance plaza. Trees and plants are regularly planted while work on the interior progresses steadily.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Tree-Studded Entrance to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Dozens of royal palms have been planted along the private drive that offers vehicular access to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple grounds and parking areas from George Washington Boulevard. Lamp posts have been installed in the west parking lot, joining the trees that have taken residence in the parking lot islands. Ornamental fencing continues on the grounds while millwork has started on the interior.
Photo: Pam Burt
West Side View of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Beautiful trees and shrubs are getting established in a garden strip on the west side of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, which lies directly in line with the center of the building. A matching feature is planned for the east side. More concrete curbing has been poured for the east parking lot and for the north entrance off George Washington Boulevard. The mechanical housing at the southeast corner of the building has been faced with ledge rock.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Palm Trees Planted at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
A dozen royal palms have been planted leading to the entrance of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple. The trunks have been staked, and the heads will remain tied for several weeks while the roots are established. Several other tree varieties have been planted in the parking lot islands on the west side, and curbing is being poured for the lot on the east side. Fence posts surround the temple grounds as the work of installing the ornamental fence continues.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Adding the Decorative Window Panels to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Construction of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple continues to move forward inside and out. On the exterior, decorative spandrel panels are being installed between the rows of windows, but no stained glass has arrived yet. On the grounds, fence columns, planters, and water features are being clad while surface preparation is underway for the east parking lot. Numerous trees have been delivered for planting that sit along the north wall. Inside, tradesmen are working quickly to finish the 96,277-square-foot interior.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Red Cliffs Utah Temple Monument Sign
The carefully coordinated monument sign for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple sits on the north end of the temple grounds where patrons will see it as they enter the parking lot. Directly behind the sign is a short wall faced with ledge rock that will support the ornamental fence. The entrance plaza hardscape continues to progress, which will feature three calming infinity pools. Two of the pools are located in front and behind the circular planter that lies at the center of the plaza.
Photo: Charlie Harrison
Spire and Angel Moroni Added to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Word spread quickly across St. George today when a crane began to hoist the spire of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple into place atop the body of the steeple. Shortly afterward, a beautiful gold-leafed figure of the angel Moroni took flight to the apex of the spire. The prophet Joseph Smith said of Moroni: "While I was thus in the act of calling upon God…immediately a personage appeared at my bedside. …He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do." (Joseph Smith—History 1:30, 33).
Photo: Doug Tice
Scaffolding Around the Red Cliffs Utah Temple Steeple
Cladding of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple steeple has been completed, and crews are assembling rows of scaffolding around the structure. This will give them access to the highest part of the building where stained-glass windows will be installed and an angel Moroni statue will be secured to the top. Hardscaping of the temple grounds continue on the north and south sides of the building where extensive plazas and gathering structures are being created.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Red Cliffs Utah Temple Entrance Taking Shape
The expansive entrance plaza under construction at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple continues to take shape. The gathering space will be anchored by a refreshing water feature and flanked by shade structures that coordinate with the building. Multiple planters and garden spaces with create the feeling of a desert oasis. Cladding of the temple portico and steeple is in the final stages.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Fastening Steeple Panels to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Precast panel installation has reached the steeple frame on the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, and about half of the entrance portico has been clad. Hardscaping of the entrance plaza continues including the addition of two shade canopies and the side walls for two staircases. At the rear (or south) side of the temple, columns are being installed for a shade structure where friends and family can receive temple patrons who have been sealed.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Building the Entrance Plaza for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Excavations have been carried out for the entrance plaza at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in St. George, and most of the footings have been poured. Pipes for the water feature can be seen rising above ground, and a retaining wall is in place on the north end. The main body of the temple has been clad in precast concrete panels, leaving the steeple and the porticos to be completed. The parking surfaces on the west side are paved.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Parking Lot Pavement at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Fresh black asphalt has appeared around the south and west sides of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple as the construction crew makes progress on paving the parking lot surfaces. The majority of the main body of the temple has been clad in precast concrete panels including the striking front facade. Installation is underway on a huge drainage pipe, and road construction in the area has increased.
Photo: Pam Burt
Cotton Plants on the Red Cliffs Utah Temple Honor Southern Utah History
A sculpted pattern of the cotton plant can be seen along the ornamental cornice of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in honor of the area's settlement history. In 1857, Brigham Young called a group of 38 families who hailed from the American South to establish the City of Washington and to grow cotton in Southern Utah. As the settlements and cotton fields grew, these Southerners began to call the area "Dixie" after their homeland. The nickname was embraced by the region for decades.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Hot-Air Balloons Over the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
It's not an uncommon sight to see colorful hot-air balloons dot the sky over the Red Cliffs Utah Temple as part of their journey over the city of St. George. Passengers delight in seeing the temple from this aerial perspective and often snap a few photos to mark the occasion. Concrete panels continue to be attached to the exterior. The beautiful front facade of the temple has advanced the most including the ornamental parapet.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Inscription Stone Installed for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
High above the front entrance to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, the inscription stone has been installed over the main window arch at the roofline. It declares Holiness to the Lord and designates the building as The House of the Lord. Framing continues on the interior of the temple, and curbing has been poured for the west parking lot. When the temple is dedicated, St. George will temporarily have the oldest and newest operating temples in the Church.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
First Level of Red Cliffs Utah Temple Clad in Precast Panels
A beautiful St. George sunrise backlights the rising Red Cliffs Utah Temple and the precast concrete panels that now clad the first level. On the interior, framing and ductwork continue. Cooling towers have been installed in the mechanical enclosure, which is being covered with corrugated steel. Parking curbing will be poured soon, and work on the maintenance building is also moving forward.
Photo: Gary Humphrey
Steeple Frame Installed Atop the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Over the past several weeks, the frame for the steeple of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple has been assembled—more than doubling the height of the impressive building located on the east side of St. George. The temple will rise even taller once the spire and angel Moroni are installed. Numerous bundles of steel studs sit on the grounds as interior framing progresses on the main level and will soon begin on the upper levels.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Precast Panel Installation Begins at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
The first two precast concrete panels have been attached to the west side of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, and several more await in the wings. The deliveries will continue to arrive over the weeks and months ahead, turning the building an earth-toned pink. Construction of the steeple frame continues, and steel backing is in place for the parapet. The pitched roof trusses have been installed over the maintenance building, and concrete has been poured for the bridal party plaza at the rear.
Photo: Dowayne Barlow
Framing the Red Cliffs Utah Temple Steeple
The first steel columns were set in place today for the steeple of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple, and the first shipments of precast panels have been delivered to clad the exterior. The floor slabs for the first and second levels have been poured, and progress is being made on the foundation and plumbing for the entrance portico and water feature. A photograph taken from a nearby field captures the cranes at work. "For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul" (Doctrine and Covenants 4:4).
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Main Floor Slab Poured for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
Surrounded by Southern Utah's breathtaking landscape, the Red Cliffs Utah Temple continues to take form at a riveting clip. The concrete slab has been poured for the main floor while the roof deck is being placed above the top floor. Staircases have been installed, and footings have been set for the front (north) and rear (south) porticos. The next exciting development will be the framing of the steeple.
Photo: Gailen and Janet Call
Gorgeous Sunrise at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple
It was a beautiful morning at the Red Cliffs Utah Temple site on Sunday in St. George. Heavy framing for the structure has reached the top floor, and staircases are now being installed. Guests are welcomed at the visitors' trailer where the missionary couple will share plenty of information and up-close photographs of the project. The concrete block walls are in place for the grounds building, which will have a simple pitched roof.