Hurricane: Trails, Nature and Local History

Hurricane offers several distinct starting points for planning a trip: hiking trails, protected landscapes, and local history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Hurricane, you can first consider whether time outdoors, historic sites, or an annual festival should shape your stay. The examples below give these themes specific names and show which aspects of the destination match your interests.

Hiking between the Canal Trail and protected areas

The Canal Trail is 3.15 miles long and recommended for hikers. There are two historic canal tunnels along the route that hikers can walk through; a third tunnel is closed for safety reasons. The different tunnel conditions are as much a part of choosing a route as the trail’s length. This makes the trail a concrete hiking connection to the history of the canals.

On August 6, 1904, water flowed onto the Hurricane Bench after the historic canal was completed. This date gives the canal’s history a specific time reference and connects it to a named place in Hurricane.

Hurricane is home to the easternmost part of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, the Babylon Section. This section can be hiked from the Hurricane Cinder Knolls Trailhead. The reserve protects the Mojave desert tortoise as well as other rare and sensitive plants and animals. This brings a named hiking option together with the area’s conservation purpose.

Quail Creek State Park is also within Hurricane’s city limits. This is a different geographic reference from the Babylon Section: the state park is located within the city, while the Babylon Section is part of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

Two hiking options are located in different ways: The Babylon Section can be hiked from the Hurricane Cinder Knolls Trailhead; access to the Gooseberry Mesa National Recreation Trail from Hurricane follows State Route 59 and the Smithsonian Butte National Backcountry Byway. One option names a trailhead, while the other specifies a sequence of roads.

Buildings and early local history

The Hurricane Pioneer Museum is located at 35 West State Street, in a building that formerly served as the Hurricane Library and City Hall. It is made of pink, hand-hewn sandstone and was built as part of the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). Its former use gives the building a civic connection; its materials and construction shape its architectural history.

The Bradshaw House was Hurricane’s first permanent home, built in 1906. Its large front room served as the first school and the first Sunday school meeting place in Hurricane. Residential life, education, and community gatherings are thus connected through a single room in local history.

Peach Days and trip planning

Peach Days is an annual hometown festival in Hurricane. It includes a parade and a contest featuring peach dishes. The parade and the food contest represent different sides of the festival. If you’d like to coordinate your trip with Peach Days, check whether the event dates match your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Washington, Virgin, Ivins, La Verkin, St George, Toquerville

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