Gunlock State Park Waterfalls
1450 Gunlock Rd, Gunlock, UT
Gunlock, UT
A desert reservoir that, in a good wet year, spills over red slickrock into a chain of waterfalls and pools that seem impossible in this dry country.
Gunlock is a small desert reservoir on the Santa Clara River in Utah's warm southwestern corner, better known for a rare event than for its everyday self. In a wet enough year, when heavy rain and snowmelt fill the reservoir past the brim, the water spills over the dam and pours down the red slickrock below in a chain of waterfalls, cascades, and clear pools. In a landscape this dry, the sight is almost unbelievable, and it draws visitors from across the region while it lasts.
Most of the time Gunlock is simply a quiet warm-water reservoir, good for boating, fishing, and a swim, tucked into the red rock northwest of St. George. But it is the waterfalls, appearing only in the best water years and never guaranteed, that have made this modest state park a hidden gem worth chasing when the conditions are right.
What Guests Love
- The rare, magical sight of waterfalls spilling over red slickrock in the desert
- Wading in the pools and slides below the falls when the water runs
- A warm, quiet reservoir for boating, fishing, and swimming
- Uncrowded red-rock scenery just off the beaten path near St. George
Worth Knowing
- The waterfalls only run in wet years when the reservoir spills, mostly late winter into spring, and often not at all
- The slickrock is slippery and the water can move fast, so watch children closely near the falls
- When the falls run, word spreads and the spot can get busy, so come early
- It is warm desert; bring water and sun protection, and expect heat in summer
Details
Gunlock, UT
Learn about Gunlock State Park Waterfalls
Waterfalls in the desert
The Gunlock waterfalls are not a permanent feature. They appear only when the reservoir behind the dam fills completely and overflows, sending water sheeting across the red Navajo Sandstone downstream. When that happens, the water spreads over the slickrock in wide veils, drops into carved pools, and slides down natural chutes, turning a stretch of bare desert rock into a playground of cascades and clear green water.
Whether the falls run at all depends entirely on the weather. A dry winter leaves the reservoir low and the slickrock silent, while a big wet year can send the water pouring for weeks. Because it is so unpredictable, seeing the Gunlock waterfalls flowing feels like catching the desert in a rare mood, and locals watch the water levels closely when a wet winter comes.
Red rock and the Santa Clara River
The rock that the falls pour over is the same warm red and cream Navajo Sandstone that shapes so much of southwestern Utah, ancient dunes turned to stone and then smoothed and hollowed by water over long ages. The Santa Clara River, which the reservoir holds back, has carved and polished this rock, leaving the pools, potholes, and rounded ledges that give the waterfalls their shape.
The reservoir itself was built in the 1970s to store irrigation water and control floods on the Santa Clara, and the spillway that produces the famous falls is really just the dam doing its job in a big water year. That the practical work of a dam should create such a beautiful, fleeting scene is part of what makes Gunlock feel like a happy accident of the desert.
The people of the Santa Clara
This warm river valley lies within the ancestral homeland of the Southern Paiute people, who lived and farmed along the Santa Clara and its springs for generations and whose descendants remain in the region today. The reliable water in an otherwise dry land made these bottomlands an important place long before any reservoir.
The little community of Gunlock takes its name from a Mormon frontiersman known for his skill with a rifle, who settled the area in the mid-1800s. Ranching and small farms along the Santa Clara have shaped the valley ever since, and Gunlock remains a quiet, out-of-the-way corner of Washington County, off the busier routes toward St. George and Zion.
The reservoir, wildlife, and seasons
When the falls are not running, Gunlock is still a pleasant desert reservoir. Its warm water is good for boating and swimming, and anglers fish for bass and catfish along the shore. The surrounding red rock and desert scrub hold lizards, jackrabbits, and songbirds, while herons, ducks, and other water birds work the reservoir, and hawks ride the thermals overhead.
Late winter into spring is the season to watch for the waterfalls, when snowmelt and rain are most likely to fill the reservoir, though it varies wildly from year to year. Summer is hot and best for the water itself, fall is mild and quiet, and winter is cool. The one certainty is that the falls are a gamble, so if you hear the water is spilling, it is worth dropping your plans to go and see it.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Gunlock
Snow Canyon State Park
About 15 miles southeast
A stunning pocket of red and white sandstone, black lava flows, and slot canyons near St. George.
St. George
About 20 miles south
A warm, fast-growing desert city and the main hub of southwestern Utah, gateway to Zion and Snow Canyon.
Gunlock
About 1 mile
A tiny historic ranching community along the Santa Clara River, giving the reservoir its name.
Zion National Park
About 55 miles east
Utah's most famous park, a soaring red-rock canyon carved by the Virgin River.