Attractions/Area info

Hurricane, Utah:  Welcome to Hurricane Utah. This southwestern Utah community, pronounced “her-ah-kun” by the locals, is surrounded by the beauty and adventure that has made this part of the world famous. The multi-colored sandstone walls of Zion National Park stand just outside of this picturesque town.
Hurricane provides its visitors with a chance to experience life in small town USA. With a population of less than 8,500 this is a “city” where you can still walk outside at night and see the stars and wake up in the morning to the sound of birds chirping.

Photo by Dylan Duverge

National Parks:  Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and even the Grand Canyon National Park are just a short drive from downtown Hurricane. Zion National Park is just 19-miles from Hurricane and offers more than 200 square miles of nature to enjoy and explore. Click here to see more information on Zion.

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Bryce Canyon National Park is located approximately 85-miles from Hurricane. The drive to Bryce is scenic and includes a ride through Zion National Park and the famous Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Once you reach Bryce Canyon the world seems to open up…thousands upon thousands of hoodoos stand tall in the valleys below the canyon rim.
There are several trails available throughout the park; something for every hiking skill level. There are also flightseeing tours of the canyon available from local pilots.

Photo by PiConsti
Photo by PiConsti

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is a bit of a longer drive, but worth the 140-mile trip from Hurricane. This less visited section of the park is more scenic and higher in elevation making the temperatures more bearable. The canyon is surrounded by the largest ponderosa pine forest in the U.S. as well as vast meadows of wildflowers. There are several hikes into the canyon; some take hikers to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, while others lead to outlooks with magnificent views.
There is a $20.00 fee to enter each of these parks. If you planning on seeing multiple parks, you can save a few dollars and buy a national park year long pass for $50.00. The year long pass is good at every national park in the U.S.

Photo by Jason and Kris Carter
Photo by Jason and Kris Carter
Water Activities:  The area surrounding Hurricane offers several lakes, rivers and reservoirs to choose from. Quail Creek Reservoir is managed and maintained by the Utah State Park’s Department. The reservoir is located about 10-miles from Hurricane. This man-made lake is filled with water that shows a brilliant dark blue next to the red and beige sandstone canyon that surrounds it. The summertime temperatures of the southwestern desert make the waters of Quail Creek warm and refreshing. Some of the more popular activities at the reservoir include fishing, hiking, boating, wake boarding, wind surfing and camping. Sand Hollow is one of Utah’s newest reservoirs and is located just outside of the Hurricane city limits. The camping facilities are currently primitive and the recreation areas are still under construction, but go ahead and jump in… the water’s fine. Sand Hollow is surrounded by beautiful sand beaches and rock formations reminiscent of Lake Powell. Water activities similar to those enjoyed at Quail Creek State Park are also available at Sand Hollow. One of the beaches of this reservoir runs over the top of a hill and heads straight into the Hurricane Sand Dunes area where ATV riding is permitted. Take a guided ATV Tour on the Hurricane Sand Dunes.
The Virgin River runs through the city of Hurricane. There are several areas along the river where activities with family and friends can be enjoyed. One of the more popular sports along the riverbanks of the Virgin is skimboarding. The shallow and sandy waters found along portions of the Virgin River make skimboarding conditions fantastic. Thousands of skimboarding enthusiasts visit south western Utah every year. Whitewater adventurers will find plenty of hair raising rapids along the Virgin River. Put in at or near Zion National Park and have an exciting day of rafting. There are several river trip tour companies in the area. During high water the Virgin River is very hazardous and it is recommended that visitors hire an experienced.
Lake Powell, home of controversy, beauty and millions of gallons of water. This scenic wonder is filled by the mighty Colorado River and held in place by the Glen Canyon Dam. Found about 130-miles from Hurricane, Lake Powell is a scenic wonderland filled with rock formations and canals. House boating, boating/wake boarding, fishing for big mouth bass, camping and exploring are just a few of the activities available at Lake Powell.

Photo by Jared eberhardt
Photo by Jared eberhardt
Golf Courses:  The south western region of Utah is famous for its year-round golfing. Hurricane is no exception. There are two unbelievable golf course found in the Hurricane area. Don’t miss the Purgatory Cup Championship horse race and golf scramble here in Hurricane.
Coral Canyon Golf Course is a 7,029-yard, par-72 course with 80 acres of turf, 55 sand traps, 2 lakes and several other obstacles to provide golfers with a challenging day. The course is surrounded by the scenic wonders of southern Utah.
Sky Mountain Golf Course is a 6,312 yard, par 72 course that is managed and maintained by the city of Hurricane. It is a challenging course that also offers a driving range, practice green and bunker as well as 2 PGA Golf Professionals on staff.

Desert Golf Fairway

Surrounding Towns and Entertainments. Looking for an evening out? Hurricane is less that 1-hour from the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival. This live theatre festival runs each year from June though October in Cedar City. There are several stages and different performances each evening. The festival offers a new set of plays beginning in September. Every evening beginning at 6:00 there is a free green show outside the outdoor stage. This is a two-hour show that is filled with song, dance, jokes and other forms of entertainment.

Photo by -ted
Photo by -ted

The city of St. George is less than 20-minutes from Hurricane and is home to the Tuacahn Musical Theatre and the St. George Music Theatre. Both offer a wide array of live performances. Tuacahn in an outdoor venue nestled within a canyon. Because the theatre is an open air amphitheater, performances are limited to the summer and fall seasons. However, Tuacahn offers activities throughout the year.
The nearby city of Springdale has two giant screen theaters, one for IMAX films and the O.C. Tanner Theater offering wonderful outdoor entertainment. Springdale also has a live performance theater, a variety show nightly during the spring, summer and fall season. The show is a lot of fun and a great way to spend an evening out.
Just over 30-miles from Hurricane is one of many ghost towns in the area. Silver Reef is and old mining town which is said to have been founded by William T. Barbee who had 22-mining claims in the area. The town grew rapidly and had a population of more than 2,000. Some of the old buildings have been converted into a museum and gift shop, but most of the town remains abandoned.  Another ghost town in the region is the town of Grafton. The town was originally built in 1859 in a location 1-mile closer to the river. However, in 1864 a flood washed the city away and the community was rebuilt in its current location. The families deserted the town in 1866 due to Indian attacks and raids, but they returned a few years latter. Grafton was the focus of a documentary and was used for a scene in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

Photo by Beth Van Dam
Photo by Beth Van Dam