Small southern Utah town near red-rock desert, used as a quieter base for Zion National Park.
Hurricane is a small town in Washington County, Utah, sitting on the edge of the red rock desert about 20 miles east of St. George. Locals pronounce it "HER-i-cun," and the town serves primarily as a base for exploring some of southern Utah's best scenery.
Zion National Park is a 25-minute drive to the northeast — close enough that Hurricane offers a quieter and cheaper alternative to staying in Springdale at the park entrance. Sand Hollow State Park, just south of town, has a warm reservoir popular for boating and swimming, and the surrounding slickrock is laced with off-road trails.
The town itself is not much to look at — a grid of chain restaurants and motels along State Route 9 — but the setting is dramatic. The Hurricane Cliffs rise sharply to the west, and on a clear evening the red sandstone glows against a wide desert sky.
Guide
Getting There
Hurricane is on State Route 9, about 20 minutes east of St. George via Interstate 15 (take exit 16 or 27 towards La Verkin, then east on SR-9). From Springdale at the south entrance to Zion National Park, the drive is roughly 25 minutes west. Las Vegas is the closest major city with significant flight connections, about 2.5 hours south on I-15.
There is no passenger rail or intercity bus service that makes Hurricane convenient. A rental car is essential — the state parks, Zion, and the cliffs are all accessible only by road, and even getting between Hurricane and St. George without a car is impractical.
St. George Regional Airport (SGU) has daily flights to Salt Lake City and seasonal service to other western cities. Las Vegas's McCarran International (LAS) offers far more choice and the drive north is straightforward on the interstate.
