Area Attractions
- National Parks & Monuments
- Utah State Parks
- County & Regional Parks
- Other Attractions & Recreation Activities
Gateway to the Parks
Hurricane can be used as a gateway to exploring Utah's fabulous collection of national parks and monuments, all within a day's drive. Here are some travel distances:
- 58 miles - Cedar Breaks National Monument
- 110 miles - Bryce Canyon National Park
- 130 miles - Grand Canyon North Rim
- 130 miles - Lake Powell
Check out the Parks Mileage Chart (JPEG).
Find a Park
Visit the National Park Service "Find Your Park" website, or check out:
State Parks within Hurricane City Limits
- Quail Creek State Park - Boating, Fishing, Camping
- Sand Hollow State Park - Boating, Fishing, Camping, Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation
Nearby Utah State Parks
Washington County Regional Park (Fairgrounds)
Washington County Fair Website
5300 W State Street
Hurricane, UT 84737
Phone: 435-652-4000
Red Cliffs Desert Reserve
Established in 1996, the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is a 62,000-acre scenic wildlife reserve set aside to protect the Mojave Desert Tortoise and other rare and sensitive plants and animals. At the junction of three great ecosystems, the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau, the Reserve covers an area of approximately 20 miles wide and 6 miles deep. Thanks to the courage and foresight of the Washington County leadership the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is one of the largest regional reserves in the country.
In 2009 Congress designated it as the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) (PDF) under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The new NCA is managed by the Bureau of Land Management St. George Field Office.
Hurricane hosts the eastern most part of the Reserve called the Babylon Section (PDF). You can enjoy hiking this section starting at the Hurricane Cinder Knolls Trailhead. Stepping over one of the reserve's distinctive "step-over" gates you can explore this sections unique wildlife, plants, and geology. Remember to pack your camera in case you discover the rare Mojave Desert Tortoise on your walk.
If you visiting the Washington County area for the first time and want more information on the spectacular recreational opportunities available, visit the Arizona Strip Interpretive Association's book store located in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) St. George Field Office at:
345 E Riverside Drive
St. George, UT 84790
Dinosaur Foot Prints
Dinosaur foot prints are scattered throughout the Southern Utah area. Just a few minutes from Hurricane are some of the best preserved and protected examples at the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. More than 1,000 examples of these 200 million year old wonders have been found including imprints of dinosaur skin!
Virgin River
The Virgin River meanders for over 150 miles from its headwaters above Zion National Park, passing through Hurricane, and eventually joining the Muddy River in Nevada to ultimately flow into Lake Mead. Learn more at the Virgin River Program website.
Hurricane Canal Trail
If not for the Hurricane Canal the town of Hurricane would not exist. Begun in 1893 the Hurricane Canal took water from the upper reaches of the Virgin River and delivered it to the rich agricultural valley of Hurricane. Today visitors can hike along the path of the original pioneers who created this engineering marvel. For more information on the Hurricane Cliffs Trail System visit the St. George BLM Field Office website.
Marathons & Runs
Locally sponsored events include the Hurricane 1/2 Marathon, Pumpkin Festival (October), Hurricane Valley Christmas Tree Festival (December).
In 2010 and 2011 Hurricane's Sand Hollow State Park hosted the start of the very successful Iron Man - St. George Race.
Off-Highway All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Trails
Home to the annual Tri-State ATV Jamboree and surrounded by open BLM lands, Hurricane is a great jumping off point for off-road adventures. Visit the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles website for information on off-highway vehicle (OHV) registration requirements.
Southern Utah Shooting Park
Located near the Fairgrounds off State Route 9 in Hurricane Utah, the Southern Utah Shooting Sports Park offers state-of-the-art facilities for a variety of enthusiasts.
Mountain Biking
Hurricane is the jumping off point for access to numerous mountain biking sites in the area. For more information on mountain biking in the area visit the St. George BLM Field Office website or the Utah Mountain Biking website.
Geologic Features
Hurricane occupies a unique position in the physiographic regions of the west. It sits at a geologic division line between the Colorado Plateau to the east and the Great Basin to the west. Many of the landforms you see as you travel along SR-9 through Hurricane are evidence of this fact.
- To the east you can see the horizontal formations of the Grand Canyon suite that form the classic mesas and canyons of the west, including Zion National Park. These formations have been uplifted by the Hurricane Fault which forms the steep cliffs just east of the downtown area.
- To the west is Pine Valley Mountain, a 6,500-foot granite laccolith that pushed its way through the overlying formations. Pine Valley Mountain represents the eastern edge of the Great Basin and Range province in this area. Pine Valley Mountain is part of the Dixie National Forest.
- As you drive past the Washington County Fairgrounds you'll be in the middle of the angled formations that form the Virgin Anticline. It forms the basin where the Quail Creek State Park and reservoir are situated.
- And then there are the extinct volcanic cinder cones that were formed continuously from about one million to 140,000 years ago. The age and composition of the cinder cones suggest that they are related to the same volcanic activity associated with the formation of San Francisco Peak near Flagstaff, Arizona.
See the Utah Geology's I-15/SR-9 Geological Road Guide for more details.
To read more about Utah Geology, visit the Utah Geological Survey, Utah Geological Society, and Utah Geology websites.
Brian Head Ski Resort
Why go all the way to Salt Lake City to ski? Great skiing adventures can start 50 miles north on I-15 from Hurricane at the Brian Head Ski Resort.
Las Vegas / Mesquite Nevada
Hurricane is only 35 minutes from Mesquite and about 2 hours from exciting Las Vegas.