Elf house brings a little magic to St. George park

Written by Chris Reed
August 26, 2022

ST. GEORGE — There is an enchanted tree among the royal oaks of St. George. 

A kind of elf house has appeared in the hollow of a tree at Royal Oaks Park, St. George, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Depending on your level of imagination, an elf house or a secret passageway to a fairy forest has appeared at to bottom of a tree in Royal Oaks Park on 1400 West.

A path of pebbles leads to a door in a hollow at the bottom of the tree. The tiny wooden door is painted yellow in a bright blue arch, adorned with butterflies. Tiny trees of moss surround it as well as a tiny chair and table. A larger stone says, “Welcome Fairies.”

Not easy or hard to find, the tree is at the corner of 1400 West and W. 1370 North – two trees to the right of a stairwell to the Halfway Wash Trail, and straight on till morning. 

It looks like the elf houses for the “Huldufólk” seen in Iceland and the Will Ferrell movie “Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga.”

But local resident Tanya Hegedus, who conjured up the enchantment, won’t divulge which creatures are in the miniature encampment that appeared in the park at at some point early in the week. 

Instead, she hopes to leave it to the imagination of children and the child in all of us.

People are invited to decorate stones an place them with the elf house that has appeared in the hollow of a tree at Royal Oaks Park, St. George, Aug. 23, 2022 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

“I was just hoping to inspire the artistic side of children,” Hegedus said. 

While not a parent herself, Hegedus said she was the oldest of five children who grew up “in the country.”

“We had to be creative so as not to be bored,” Hegedus said.

And speaking of creativity, the tiny fairy tale house isn’t meant to just be gawked at.

In a small bucket to the right of the door are several smooth rocks. Written on it is, “Decorate the stone. Place in the garden. Enjoy.”

“Encouraging creativity has far reaching benefits,” Hegedus said. “That is what I hope to instill.”

What also isn’t apparent immediately is the door actually opens. 

Not to spoil what’s inside, but what is there might be left to interpretation – and just might answer the age-old question: Who’s the fairest one of all?

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Reed serves as a reporter for St. George News, where he has been honored with several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his work, including first-place accolades. He started his journalism career as a sports reporter and editor in Southern California where he once compared shoe sizes with Shaquille O'Neal and exchanged mix tapes with members of the Los Angeles Kings. After growing up in the San Fernando Valley learning karate skills from Mr. Miyagi and spending a decade in Las Vegas mostly avoiding the casinos, he came to St. George for love and married his soulmate, a lifetime Southern Utah resident. He is the proud father of two boys, his youngest a champion against both autism and Type 1 diabetes.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGNews

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