WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — Gunlock Falls are flowing again — a rare sight in southwest Utah that park records show has happened only eight other times in the last 30 years.
The falls last ran on April 15, 2024. Every day since, locals had been asking Gunlock State Park on social media whether the falls were active. The answer was always the same: They were not — until Tuesday.
Judging by the license plates from different states from Montana to California in the parking lot, word got out fast.
The falls run when Gunlock Reservoir exceeds 105 percent capacity. In a year with little snowpack, that may seem surprising. But officials with the Washington County Water Conservancy say their strategy of storing more water in local reservoirs is paying off.
The falls flowing also signals that there is likely enough water to last the rest of the year in drought-stricken southwest Utah, water officials have said.
WATCH: Gunlock State Park waterfalls majestically return for second consecutive year (2024)
Carson Hadley, Snow College’s student body president, was in the St. George area for spring break with others from his school since Sunday. They had no plans for Tuesday but heard something rare was happening at Gunlock State Park.
"I was just kind of stunned. This isn't what I was expecting. I really didn't know what we were coming for," Hadley said.
The experience left an impression.
"I think it's something they just need to come see for themselves. Like, the red rocks and the waterfalls, it's something that you expect to see in a movie, not in real life," Hadley said.
What some visitors may not realize is that reaching the falls requires about a quarter-mile hike from Gunlock Road — and the final stretch involves climbing over slippery rocks. Once there, the views are worth it.
Eight-year-old Emilia Rodriguez of Washington City made the trek with her home-schooled family for what turned into an educational field trip.
"I loved how blue the water was and how dark it was and the little waterfall," Emilia said. "It reminds me of a water slide in the summer."
Her father, Zach Rodriguez, said the family was looking for something beyond their usual routine.
"We wanted to take the kids outside and instead of hanging out around our house, we wanted to see some of the more beautiful parts of St. George area that we haven't checked out yet," Rodriguez said.
Park officials say the falls may not last more than a day or two before becoming intermittent — the same pattern seen two years ago.
But with the falls comes danger. Several warning signs are posted near the falls. While the pools and streams below may appear deep, they are no more than two to three feet in depth. Anyone diving from the cliffs above is guaranteed broken bones, or worse.
The history of injuries and deaths at the falls is sobering:
The last time the falls flowed in 2024, one person was seriously injured in a fall.
In 2023, search and rescue teams responded more than a dozen times, including a near-drowning and an 18-year-old who broke both legs after cliff diving 70 feet into the shallow pools.
In April 2020, a 36-year-old woman died after being swept away by currents.
In May 2019, a 36-year-old man died after jumping from a cliff and landing on his head on a rock just below the water.
Emilia had simple but sound advice for anyone heading out to see the falls.
"It's fun to hop on the rocks, but you have to be careful," Emilia said.
