Living in River Heights

River Heights sits on Hurricane's north side, up on the bluff above the Virgin River near Sky Mountain Golf. Mornings start quiet. You hear birds and maybe a neighbor's garage door, and not much else until school traffic picks up around 7:30. Most lots have room for a real yard, and on nice days you see dogs out for walks and gardens being worked.

The subdivision feels set back from the busy part of State Street, but you are not remote. SR-9 is about five minutes south, and St. George is a 25-minute drive. Zion National Park is about 40 minutes east. The Walmart and Lin's Fresh Market on State Street are ten minutes from your driveway, and Davis Food and Drug is just across the river in La Verkin. A forgotten gallon of milk is not a trip you dread.

Summer afternoons run hot, same as anywhere in Hurricane. Evaporative coolers and AC units work hard from June through early September. Evenings cool off quickly once the sun drops behind the Pine Valley Mountains, so the best outdoor hours are early morning and the last hour of daylight. Winter is easy: daytime highs in the 50s, a few freezes overnight, and the occasional dusting of snow that is gone by lunch. You can golf at Sky Mountain in February.

River Heights is mostly single-family homes on the bluff near Sky Mountain Golf, and newer homes sit alongside the earlier ones. You will see ramblers (one-story homes) and two-story designs, most often with stucco and stone exteriors and tile roofs. Garages usually have two or three bays, and a fair number of homes have RV parking on the side.

Lots run from compact up to about a quarter-acre, depending on the street and how recently the home was built. Some blocks are fully built. Others still have room to fill in, as is common on Hurricane's north side, where building has continued in phases.

Hurricane is one of the best outdoor towns in Utah if you want to get outside without paying a resort price to do it. From River Heights, the trailheads and reservoirs that draw visitors from across the country are all a short drive away, from about ten to twenty minutes.

The Hurricane Rim trail system starts along the cliffs on the east and southeast side of town, about ten minutes from River Heights. Gould's Rim, the JEM Trail, and the network around Gooseberry Mesa are about twenty minutes out, depending on the trailhead. These are nationally known mountain biking trails, and they work just as well for hiking and trail running.

Sand Hollow Reservoir is worth a mention of its own. It is about fifteen minutes south, with a sandy beach, warm water, and red rock coves you can paddle into. The sand dunes above the reservoir have an off-highway vehicle (OHV) area. It is one of the few places in the country where you can ride dunes with a lake view. Quail Creek Reservoir, about fifteen minutes west, is cooler and quieter. It is a good pick for fishing, or for a beach day with fewer jet skis.

For golf, Sky Mountain is the home course. It is an 18-hole city-owned course on the same Virgin River bluff as River Heights, about five minutes from your driveway. Sand Hollow Golf Club has 27 holes of resort-style golf about fifteen minutes south. Copper Rock, the newer championship course, is about twenty minutes south.

River Heights is close to Hurricane's main shopping area, so errands are easy. State Street, the main road through town, is about five minutes south. Most of the shopping, dining, and services in Hurricane are along it.

River Heights is served by the Washington County School District. The elementary school for this part of Hurricane is either Hurricane Elementary or Three Falls Elementary (grades K-5), depending on your exact address. After that, students go on to Hurricane Intermediate (grades 6-7), Hurricane Middle (grades 8-9), and Hurricane High (grades 10-12). Valley Academy, a K-8 charter school in Hurricane, is another option. The district is actively changing which schools serve which streets as the area grows. Check the current assignment for a specific address with the district before you buy.

For third-party ratings and parent reviews, visit GreatSchools or Niche and search for Hurricane schools. Everyone weighs schools differently, and what matters to you may not matter to the next person. The best move is to visit the schools yourself while you are in town looking at homes.

For college, Utah Tech University in St. George is about 25 minutes away, along with Dixie Technical College. Southern Utah University in Cedar City is about 50 minutes north on I-15.