Confluence Park

The park

Confluence Park is a 344-acre nature park within the boundaries of Hurricane and La Verkin, where Ash Creek and La Verkin Creek join the Virgin River. It is managed by Washington County through the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve office.

Why a confluence matters

Three streams meeting in desert country produce something rare: a riparian corridor with permanent water, shade and dense vegetation, surrounded by dry ground. That concentration is why the park matters out of proportion to its size. It protects habitat for endangered native fish and for threatened birds including owls and songbirds — the Virgin River system holds fish found nowhere else on earth, having been isolated long enough for them to evolve separately.

Trails and activities

Eleven trails are open to walking, cycling and horse use, and camping is permitted with a permit. The setting suits quiet recreation and nature study rather than destination sightseeing, which is much of its appeal.

The industrial ruins

The park also holds historic structures, including a hydroelectric plant, a grain silo and a dairy. Early hydroelectric development on the Virgin River is an under-told part of southern Utah's history: small local plants like this one electrified towns decades before regional transmission networks reached them.

Worth knowing

Camping and any filming or commercial photography require permits from the managing office. River conditions change with flow and with season, and the crossings are not always passable — contact the office rather than assuming. There is little development on site, so bring water.

More on this: water recreation around St. George.