Moving to Virgin, Utah

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NOAA, USGS, and the Utah State Tax Commission. Prices move, so ask me for current numbers.

Virgin is a small river town of about 700 people in Washington County, in the warm southwest corner of Utah. It sits at about 3,500 feet on the Virgin River. State Route 9 (SR-9), the road to Zion National Park, runs through the middle of town. The town is about 11.8 square miles, and the river runs through it.

Zion is close. The south entrance is about 20 minutes east, nearer than from La Verkin or Hurricane. St. George is about 40 minutes west. The getting around topic has the other drive times.

The old town sits around Mill Street, on the north side of the river. The town office is at 40 Main Street, in a church building the town bought. The town park is on the same block. Newer streets have grown east and west along the highway. Some are on the south side of the river, and you cross the water on Camino del Rio to reach them.

Kolob Terrace Road leaves SR-9 on the east side of town, about 3 minutes from the town office. It climbs north into the high country of Zion. That road and its cabins are in the county, not in the town. The town limits reach only about a mile north of SR-9. So the mountain is next door, but it is a different place with its own rules.

The town has a long history on this spot. Paiute people called it Pocketville, because it sits in a low hollow on the river bank. The county historical society says the first settlers came in 1857. A town history says wagons from Cedar City arrived on December 20, 1858. Early settlers called the place Virgen City, after the river. The town was incorporated in 1929.

Virgin stayed small for a long time. The Census counted 254 people in 1880 and 119 in 1970, the low point. Then the town grew, to 394 in 2000 and 596 in 2010. The count was 670 in 2020, and the 2025 estimate is 714.

A lot of land around town is public. The town's draft general plan says the Bureau of Land Management (BLM, the federal land agency) and the county water district own nearly 60 percent of the land inside the town limits. A land conservation group also owns more than 400 acres along the river. That keeps room open around the houses.

So who is Virgin for? Think about what you want. Do you want a quiet river town with red rock all around and Zion nearby? Then look closely. The honest catch is that the nearest supermarket is in La Verkin, about 10 minutes away. Homes are on septic tanks, and the river brings flood risk. The housing market topic explains the nightly rental ban, and before you buy covers the river and the soil.

For other common questions about moving to Utah, see the Utah FAQ. My Virgin guides on The Local go deeper on the road up Kolob Terrace, the Subway, and the dark skies. The next towns west have their own guides: La Verkin and Hurricane.

Sources: the Washington County Historical Society and a town history drawn from Virgin's older general plan (the settling dates and the name), the U.S. Census Bureau (the counts and the town area), the U.S. Geological Survey (elevation), the draft Virgin Town General Plan 2025 (public land), and the Virgin town office meeting notices (the town office).

Virgin has a warm desert climate. Summers are hot and winters are mild. Winter is the easy season, and summer takes some planning.

No weather station sits in Virgin. These numbers come from the station in La Verkin, about 5 miles west. Virgin sits a few hundred feet higher, so nights can run a little cooler.

Summer here runs a few degrees milder than in St. George. The summer topic has the numbers.

Month by month

These are the normal highs and lows for each month. Look at December and January. Winter days are mild, but winter nights drop to the 20s.

• JanuaryHigh 52°F, low 29°F
• FebruaryHigh 57°F, low 33°F
• MarchHigh 66°F, low 40°F
• AprilHigh 73°F, low 44°F
• MayHigh 83°F, low 52°F
• JuneHigh 94°F, low 61°F
• JulyHigh 98°F, low 68°F
• AugustHigh 96°F, low 67°F
• SeptemberHigh 89°F, low 59°F
• OctoberHigh 76°F, low 47°F
• NovemberHigh 62°F, low 35°F
• DecemberHigh 51°F, low 28°F

Source: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, from the La Verkin weather station, about 5 miles from Virgin.

Rain is light. A normal year brings about 11.6 inches of rain and melted snow. February is the wettest month, at about 1.8 inches, and June is the driest, at about 0.2.

Frost comes late and leaves early. The last spring freeze usually lands around April 1, and the first fall freeze around November 5. That leaves about 217 frost-free days. A normal year has about 75 nights at freezing or colder, and about 59 of them fall from December through February.

Up Kolob Terrace Road, the mountain keeps its own calendar. The road climbs into the high country, where winter brings real snow. The outdoor recreation topic covers its winter closure.

La Verkin and Hurricane, to the west, share this weather. Their La Verkin guide and Hurricane guide show it from there.

Snow is rare in town. The weather station in La Verkin logs about 1.4 inches in a normal year. That comes as a few tenths of an inch in each of December, January, February, and March. Measurable snow falls on fewer than one day a year. Most winters bring none at all.

Some winters do surprise people. The station logged 7.5 inches in December 2013, and 6.5 of those fell on one day, December 8. In February 2019 it logged 4.2 inches. The one day record is 12 inches on January 5, 1974. Several recent winters, including 2017 to 2018 and 2024 to 2025, logged none.

If you want real snow, you drive up. Kolob Terrace Road climbs from the east side of town into the high country of Zion, where the snow is real. Brian Head Resort is about 1 hour 20 minutes away. Its base sits at 9,600 feet, and Brian Head gets about 87 inches of snow a year by the NOAA normal at the Bryce Canyon station. Cedar City is about 45 minutes north and gets far more snow than Virgin.

Sources: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, and the station's daily snow record. Brian Head figures are from Ski Utah.

Summer here is hot, but not as hot as St. George. A normal July afternoon reaches about 98°F. The normals show about 47 days a year at 100°F or hotter, and about 118 days at 90°F or hotter. Your first July will change what you think "hot" means.

The record is 114°F. It was set on July 3, 2001, and matched on July 17 and 18, 2009. The 2026 summer ran hot too. Through October 2, the La Verkin station logged 53 days at 100°F or hotter. The first came on June 6, the last on September 11, and the hottest reading was 109°F on July 26.

A good air conditioner matters more here than it would up north. You also learn to live early and late. Walk, ride, and water the yard in the morning or after sunset. Spend the middle of the day by the river or indoors.

Summer also brings a storm season. The National Weather Service counts June 15 to September 30 as monsoon season in the Southwest. August and September are the wettest summer months here, at about 1 inch each. Dry washes can fill in minutes, and streets can flood. Six inches of fast moving water can knock an adult down, and 12 inches can carry away most cars.

Sources: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020; the La Verkin station's daily record through October 2026; the National Weather Service flood and monsoon pages.

Virgin is somewhat breezy. No one has measured wind in town, so the numbers here come from St. George Regional Airport. It is the nearest wind station, about 33 miles southwest by road. Virgin sits in a river canyon with cliffs close by, so your own street can feel different.

The airport averages 6.1 miles an hour over the year. That comes from about 115,900 hourly readings between 2012 and 2025. Cedar City, on the same count, averages 7.4.

Spring and summer are the windy seasons, tied at 7.6 miles an hour. Fall averages 5.1 and winter 4.2. May and June are the windiest months at 8.4. December is the calmest at 3.5.

Strong gusts are not common. Gusts of 30 miles an hour or more show up in about 3 or 4 hours out of every 100 in spring.

Wind can bring dust. The state geology map rates wind-blown sand as moderate at 22 lots in Desert Garden Estates, at the west end of town. Expect some dust on a windy day where the ground is bare.

An inversion is when cold air gets trapped in a valley under a lid of warmer air, and smog builds up for days. The Salt Lake and Utah valleys are known for them in winter. Virgin does not have that problem. The record shows almost none. In the six winters from 2020 to 2026, fine particles pushed county air past the good range on only 8 days. Fine particles are tiny bits of soot and smoke.

Washington County is also not on the EPA list of Utah counties that fail, or once failed, a federal air standard. That list names nine counties, and Washington is not one of them. The county is outside the state's mandatory no-burn rule for winter smog days too. That rule covers seven counties in northern Utah.

Source: EPA AirData, daily air quality index for Washington County, 2020 to 2025. A day is good at 50 or under and moderate at 51 to 100.

Ozone is the main pollutant. It is a gas that forms in strong sunlight, and it sets the daily reading on most days of the year. It pushed the county past 50 on 59 to 89 days a year from 2020 to 2025. Summer and fall can also bring smoky days, most likely from wildfires. Fine particles pushed the reading past 50 on 27 summer and fall days in 2020. In 2023 and 2024, that happened on just 1 day each.

Here is why this table fits Virgin. The county has two air monitors. One is the Utah state monitor in Hurricane, about 15 minutes west. The other is in Zion Canyon, to the east. So these readings describe the air in this end of the valley, and none of the monitors sit in St. George.

Check the air on any day at the state's air quality site, the way you check the weather.

Sources: EPA Green Book, EPA AirData, the Utah Division of Air Quality, and the Utah DEQ no-burn page.

Virgin costs more than the valley towns to its west. The Census survey puts a typical Virgin home well above one in La Verkin, though the margin is wide in a town this small. Zion is close, land is limited, and the town's own draft plan names homes bought as vacation or nightly rentals as a cost pressure. Read the gap as roughly right, not exact.

Day-to-day costs track the rest of the valley, with one change. Virgin has no supermarket, and the shopping topic shows where people go. Sales tax is higher here than in either town, because Virgin adds a resort tax. The taxes topic shows the rates side by side.

Think of the trade this way. Hurricane and St. George give you more stores, more homes to pick from, and services close by. Virgin gives you quiet nights, dark skies, and Zion about 20 minutes east. I can run the real numbers for the towns you are weighing.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, typical value of owner-occupied homes. Compare the next town over in the Hurricane guide.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Three taxes matter most when you move here: sales tax, state income tax, and property tax. Here is each one in plain terms, with the rate in effect as I write this.

Virgin's sales tax is higher than its neighbors. It was 7.45% early in 2026. On April 1, the Hurricane Valley fire district added a 0.33% tax to help pay for emergency services. That brought the full rate to 7.78%. About 1 point of it is a resort tax, which Virgin charges as a town on the road to Zion. Hurricane and La Verkin charge 7.08%, and St. George charges 6.75%.

The town has also looked at raising the resort tax. A small raise and a ballot question for a second resort tax were on the town council's agenda in July 2026. The posted records do not show the outcome, so check the current rate with the town before you count on it.

The primary home exemption

Utah gives a tax break to the home you live in. A primary home is taxed on 55% of its market value, not the full value. To get it, you must live in the home at least 183 days in a row each year. The break covers the house and up to one acre of land. Second homes, cabins, and nightly rentals are taxed on the full value, which matters on Kolob Terrace.

Washington County asks you to apply. You can apply online on the county assessor's page, or call (435) 301-7020. From January 1, 2027, state law makes this the rule across Utah whenever a home changes owners.

Town bills and car fees

The town bills water and trash on one monthly utility bill. Water rates are tiered, so each gallon past a set amount costs more, and the town passes along price increases from the county water district. Utah does not tax your car as property. Instead, you pay an age-based fee each year when you register it. Washington County has no emissions test.

Sources: Utah State Tax Commission (sales tax rates for October 1, 2026, and the 2025 property tax report), the Virgin town council agenda for July 21, 2026, Utah DMV, the Washington County Assessor, S.B. 60 of 2026, and Utah Code 59-2-103.5. Questions about your own bill go to the Washington County Assessor.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

The glance box at the top of this page shows the typical home value from the Census. Virgin is not one of my market report towns, so there is no quarterly median here. Usually only a few homes are for sale at once, so any one month jumps around. One custom home or cabin can move the number. Read the trend, not one headline. Ask me for the latest numbers.

Most homes are single-family houses. About 77% are detached houses, and about 15% are manufactured homes. The middle year for when a home was built is 2003, and about 60% went up after 2000. Nearly all homes, about 94% of those lived in, are owner-occupied. About 14% of homes sit empty most of the year, because they are held for seasonal or occasional use.

Lot size depends on the zone. The Residential zone has a minimum lot of 12,000 square feet. The Rural Residential and Agricultural zones need at least an acre. In both house zones, a home can stand 25 feet tall, and each lot gets one water connection and one septic tank. Living space is capped at 4,800 square feet, or 15% of the lot, whichever is more. The town's zoning map is online, so look up any lot.

Nightly rentals

Buying a home in Virgin does not give you the right to rent it by the night. Since March 19, 2024, renting a whole house for less than 30 days is banned in the Residential, Rural Residential, Agricultural, and Commercial zones. The one exception was an overlay zone for whole-house rentals. It has taken no new applications since June 20, 2023, and a buyer there must apply for a new permit within 45 days of closing.

You can still rent part of your home. An owner who lives there can rent rooms or a casita for under 30 days with a Residential Hosting permit. The town sets limits on guests and bedrooms, and the room tax still applies. CC&Rs (recorded rules for a subdivision) can be stricter. Ask Virgin Town Hall before you count on rental income.

Shop by price

Shop by kind of home

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024 (housing type, year built, owner share, seasonal use), the Virgin Municipal Code (zones, Chapter 16.60 on short-term rentals and residential hosting), and the town's draft general plan. Ask me about any one address.

Virgin is small, and it reads as one town. The land falls into a few settings, from the river to the top of the mountain. Here are nine areas, from the old town outward. Lot sizes are the middle size on the county's recorded plats, so they are rough. Drive times start at the town office and are rounded.

• Old townThe old townsite on Mill StreetOn both sides of SR-9 at Mill Street, north of the riverThe town office, the Old Church, and the town park are here, with older homes. Many lots have no plat name, and their middle size is about 0.7 acre. Valley View has lots of about a third of an acre. The river sits close, so look up flood status on any lot.
• North of the highwayPocketville RoadNorth of SR-9, between Mill Street and Kolob Terrace RoadOld Home Acres, Scenic Splendor, and K & B Estates. Lots run from about a third of an acre to about two and a half acres. It is about 2 to 4 minutes from the town office. Pocketville Road is narrow, and the town wants it to stay a neighborhood road.
• North high groundSierra BellaNorth of SR-9, on the high ground off Kolob Terrace RoadAbout 58 lots, with a middle size of an acre. A dry wash crosses the area, so the home checks topic below matters here.
• River bottomThe flat land west of townSouth of SR-9 and north of the river, west of Mill StreetVirgin Acres, Leaming Cove, Observation Estates, and a few smaller plats. Lots run one to one and a half acres. It is about 2 to 4 minutes from the town office.
• West endDesert Garden EstatesSouth of SR-9, by Sheep Bridge RoadAbout 63 lots of an acre, in two phases. It is about 4 minutes from the town office. Sheep Bridge Road leads on to public land and the river.
• South of the riverRio de Sion, Zions Edge, and Pala ZionSouth of the Virgin River, reached from SR-9 by Camino del RioRio de Sion is the largest recorded plat in town. Its lots run about half an acre. Zions Edge lots run about an acre, and Pala Zion about an acre and a half. It is about 4 to 6 minutes from the town office, over the river.
• East endThe Highway Resort ZoneAlong SR-9 east of 295 East, toward RockvilleThe town code has a Highway Resort Zone for parcels that front SR-9 east of 295 East. It allows lodging, campgrounds, and RV parks. Much of the low ground by the river is flood zone, and the town code says so. Ask the town which zone a parcel is in before you plan any use.
• Open landPublic land and large tractsWest and south of townMuch of the land west and south belongs to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the federal land agency. Water and conservation owners hold the rest. It is not for sale as home lots.
• Outside townKolob TerraceUp Kolob Terrace Road, in unincorporated Washington CountyCabins and land from about 5,000 to 8,100 feet. This is county land, not the town of Virgin. The Subway's Left Fork trailhead is about 20 minutes up the road, and Kolob Reservoir is about an hour and five minutes.

Want to compare lots, prices, and settings side by side? Tell me what you are looking for and I will point you to the right areas. To see homes now, open Virgin homes for sale.

Sources: Washington County parcel and plat records and the Virgin Municipal Code, checked October 4, 2026. Lot sizes are the middle size of the parcels on each plat.

No builder puts up rows of homes in Virgin, and the town's posted 2026 planning agendas show no new subdivision plat. New construction here means a custom home on a single lot, in the valley or up on the high ground. A few cabins go up on Kolob Terrace, which is outside the town. Local builders work lot by lot on plats that already exist.

Two things shape every build. The first is the septic tank. Virgin has no sewer, so every new home needs its own system. The town has adopted a study that recommends an acre or more per home. A small vacant lot may not pass, so ask before you buy it. Virgin joined the Ash Creek sewer district in 2024. The town's plan says the district will bring sewer someday, with no date set.

The second is water. The town runs the water system and buys its water from the county water district under a contract with a set number of connections. Each lot in the house zones gets one connection. Homes connected since 2023 pay a surcharge on heavy water use, and new yards face lawn limits and drip irrigation rules. Yard water, called irrigation water, comes only with shares in a local canal or irrigation company.

In 2026 the town also rezoned about 25 acres at SR-9 and Sheep Bridge Road from rural residential to commercial. The plans for it have not been stated. Buying new works differently from buying resale. You pick a lot, sign a builder's contract, and follow a build schedule. I walk you through each step, so the loan lines up with the build. Builders often cover the buyer agent fee, and I put that in writing before you sign.

The build-here checklist

1. Water. Ask Virgin Town Hall whether a connection is available for the lot.
2. Septic. Ask the health department and the town whether the lot is big enough to pass.
3. Flood and soil. Look up the lot on the flood map and the state hazard map. The home checks topic shows how.
4. Zone and access. Confirm the zone, the height and size limits, and a road you can drive in winter.

Sources: Virgin Planning and Zoning and town council agendas for 2026, the Virgin Municipal Code, the town wastewater study adopted in March 2024, and the town water page. Ask me what is building right now.

Every town has its own list of things to check. Virgin sits beside a river, on clay and dry desert ground. None of this should scare you off. These are the questions I would ask about any home here, and each one has a free tool for a single address. A lot can differ from its neighbor, so look up the exact address.

A map shows an area, and I will walk through each of these with you on any home you like. I will tell you what I see.

This is general information, not legal, engineering, or insurance advice. Sources: the Utah Geological Survey, the Washington County hazard map (checked lot by lot, October 4, 2026), FEMA, the Virgin Municipal Code, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

The best thing you can do before you shop for a home is get pre-approved. That means a lender checks your finances and tells you how much you can borrow. It shows you what you can spend, and it makes your offer stronger when the right home comes up. Virgin is a small market, and few homes list at once. A buyer who is ready when one lists is the buyer who gets it.

Each kind of property here takes its own path to a loan. A house in the valley is the simple case. Acreage, a custom build, or a home on a well and septic tank each bring their own checklist. A seasonal cabin on Kolob is a different talk than a home you live in all year, so talk about financing before the showing, not after. Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans all exist, and the loan guides on this site explain each one.

USDA loans are worth a look. On USDA's map, no part of the town of Virgin falls in the area marked ineligible for its rural home loan. That check covered the town limits only, so look up Kolob Terrace addresses on USDA's own lookup.

I am licensed in both real estate and lending. On any one purchase I take one role. If I am your lender, I can tell you early if a home could be hard to get a loan on.

How my dual role works. I am licensed in both real estate and lending. On any one purchase I take one role. Every role is disclosed, and you are always free to choose your own agent and your own lender. The full explanation is on How I Work. This section is general information, not financial, legal, or tax advice.

Virgin's own businesses lean on Zion. Visitors on their way to the park stop at the lodging and shops along SR-9, and the town office and a few small trades round out the work in town. Beyond that, Virgin is a commuter town, and most jobs sit to the west.

The Census counted about 204 working residents in Virgin, with a wide margin of error. About half of the commuters drive under 25 minutes. About a quarter drive 45 minutes or more. The jobs they hold are a mix of retail, trades, lodging, and tourism work.

About 1 in 5 Virgin workers worked from home, a higher share than in Toquerville or La Verkin, by the same count. That also makes the internet at the exact address a big deal.

The nearest job center is Hurricane. Litehouse Foods runs a plant there that makes refrigerated dressings and dips. The St. George area, about 40 minutes away, is the region's main job center.

Moving for a job? My job relocation guide covers the timing of selling one home and buying the next. Working from home? Read the remote workers guide first, then check the internet topic below.

Sources: Census ACS 2020 to 2024, Litehouse Foods, and the Utah Department of Workforce Services. The Virgin counts are rough, and the job counts are for the whole county.

There is no hospital, clinic, pharmacy, or dentist in Virgin. The closest emergency room is in Hurricane, about 20 minutes west. Intermountain's Hurricane Emergency Services, at 127 North 2260 West, is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a satellite of St. George Regional Hospital, and it has CT, MRI, and ultrasound.

The Intermountain Hurricane Valley Clinic is on the same campus, at 75 North 2260 West. It has an InstaCare, which is urgent care for problems that are not life threatening. You do not need an appointment. The clinic also lists family medicine, pediatrics, imaging, physical therapy, orthopedics, and a lab.

For a hospital stay or the most serious injuries, the hospital is St. George Regional, part of Intermountain Health. It is about 40 minutes away. It has a Level II trauma center, which means surgeons and specialists are ready for badly hurt patients.

The Hurricane Valley Fire District covers Virgin. In an emergency, call 911. Davis Food and Drug in La Verkin, about 10 minutes away, has a pharmacy.

If you have ongoing specialty care, price in the drive to St. George before you buy. On military orders? My military PCS guide covers VA loans and timing the move.

Sources: Intermountain Health location pages, the Hurricane Valley Fire District, and road-routing drive times from the town office at 40 Main Street.

The Washington County School District runs the public schools. It counted 34,396 students on October 1, 2025. There is no public school inside Virgin, so students go to schools in La Verkin and Hurricane. Elementary school is kindergarten to grade 5. Intermediate is grades 6 and 7, middle school is grades 8 and 9, and high school is grades 10 to 12.

The district's boundary maps put all 346 address points inside the town limits in the same line of schools. Ask the district which bus route serves your address.

From the district's boundary maps, checked in October 2026. Drive times come from a road-routing model, not a bus schedule.

Valley Academy is a public charter school in Hurricane. Valley Elementary covers kindergarten to grade 3, and Valley Intermediate covers grades 4 to 8. A charter school is separate from the district, so it has its own sign-up.

Your address decides your school, and the district's maps are the final word. Boundaries can change, so check the map for any home before you make an offer.

I do not rate schools, and I would be wary of anyone who tells you which one is best. Look at boundaries, programs, and ratings yourself, with what matters to you in mind. The links below go to the district and to independent sites.

Ratings and boundaries come from the district and independent third parties, not from me.

Virgin is not a college town, but a university and a technical college are in St. George. That is about 40 minutes away. Utah Tech University counted 13,207 students in fall 2025. It joined the Big Sky Conference, an NCAA Division I league, on July 1, 2026.

Dixie Technical College is in St. George too, at 610 South Tech Ridge Drive. Its programs include trades and health care. Southern Utah University is in Cedar City, about 45 minutes north.

The drive is real, so plan around it if you take classes in person. Still, you can earn a degree or train for a trade without living in a campus town.

Sources: Utah Tech figures reported by the Deseret News, the Big Sky Conference, and the schools' own sites.

Virgin is a car town. SR-9 runs through it from east to west, and it is the only highway. West leads to La Verkin, Hurricane, and I-15. East leads to Rockville, Springdale, and the south entrance of Zion.

UDOT counted about 7,400 vehicles a day on SR-9 just past La Verkin toward Virgin in 2024. That is about a third of the traffic on State Street in La Verkin. A yearly average hides the busy days, though. In the park's busy seasons of spring, summer, and fall, expect slow stretches on the two-lane road.

UDOT repaved SR-9 near Virgin and Rockville and rebuilt the guardrail from July to November 2024. The state posts live road conditions if you want to check before a drive.

The nearest freeway exits are on I-15. Exit 16 at Harrisburg Junction is west of Hurricane, and it is the way to St. George and Las Vegas. Exit 27 at Toquerville, by way of SR-17, is the way north. My Kolob Terrace Road guide covers the road that climbs north from the east side of town.

Source: UDOT traffic counts for 2024 and the UDOT SR-9 paving page. A count shows how busy a road is, not how long you wait.

Virgin has no town bus. The SunTran Zion Route has two stops in town. One is the Zion White Bison Park and Ride. The other is on Kolob Terrace Road, at SR-9. The bus runs Monday to Saturday, with no Sunday or holiday service.

The route makes 12 trips each way. On the September 2026 schedule, the first eastbound bus leaves the park and ride at 6:39 a.m. The last leaves at 8:29 p.m. The ride to Springdale takes about 20 to 23 minutes. The ride to St. George takes about an hour. Plan on a car for daily life.

Fares and hours come from the SunTran and National Park Service pages, checked in October 2026. They can change. Check the SunTran schedule before you ride.

St. George Regional Airport (SGU) is the closest. It is about 33 miles and 45 minutes from Virgin. Three airlines fly there, all flown by SkyWest. Delta flies nonstop to Salt Lake City. United flies nonstop to Denver and Los Angeles. American flies nonstop to Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth.

• St. George (SGU)~33 mi · ~45 min
• Las Vegas (LAS)~158 mi · ~2.5 hr

Harry Reid International in Las Vegas (LAS) has the widest choice of flights. It is about 2.5 hours away. If you will make that drive often, plan for it before you buy.

Source: the SGU flight board, checked October 3, 2026. Drive times come from a road-routing model run from the town office.

Virgin sits on SR-9, with the valley towns to the west and Zion to the east. Most errands mean a drive. Here is how long common trips take from the town office at 40 Main Street.

• La Verkin and its supermarket~10 min
• Rockville~12 min
• Hurricane~15 min
• The Subway trailhead (Left Fork)~20 min
• Hurricane ER (24/7)~20 min
• Zion, south entrance~20 min

Here is how long the longer drives take.

St. George

~33 mi · ~40 min

Cedar City

~44 mi · ~45 min

Springdale

~13 mi · ~20 min

Brian Head

~74 mi · ~1 hr 20 min

Las Vegas

~156 mi · ~2.5 hr

Salt Lake City

~294 mi · ~4 hr 25 min

The other towns in the valley are close. Here is how far each one is by road.

Outdoor places are a bit farther. Kolob Terrace Road leaves SR-9 about 3 minutes from the town office, on the east side of town. Quail Creek and Sand Hollow state parks are each about 30 minutes away. Kolob Reservoir is about 1 hour 5 minutes up that road. Lava Point is about 1 hour 10 minutes, and the last stretch is gravel and seasonal. Read my Kolob Terrace Road guide before you go.

Going somewhere else? Look up any Utah drive between 138 towns.

Drive times come from a road-routing model run from the town office in October 2026. Real trips vary with traffic and the season.

Almost nobody puts this on a real estate site, but it is what you need in your first week. In a small town it saves you surprises. Here is who to call. Confirm the provider for the exact address when you buy.

On a vacant lot, septic decides what you can build. The new construction topic explains the town's one-acre septic standard.

Town Hall is at 40 Main Street. It is open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed Friday. Start with virgin.utah.gov for water and trash accounts. The Virgin Transfer Station, at 300 North Kolob Terrace Road, takes small loads and is closed Thursday. Residents can take up to 2,000 pounds a month to the county landfill in Washington at no charge.

Phone numbers come from the town, district, and company pages, checked in October 2026. They can change. Call Town Hall to confirm deposits and fees, which I do not list.

Home internet depends on the street. The state's broadband map shows CenturyLink DSL at all ten spots checked in Virgin. It shows TDS cable at two of the ten, near Town Hall and on Solana Court. It shows fiber at one, on the west side at 110 North 775 West.

Source: the Utah Broadband Center's provider data, updated October 2026, at ten points in Virgin. I list who reports service, not speeds or prices.

DSL and fixed wireless reach the whole town. Cable and fiber reach only some streets. That matters more here than in most places, because about 1 in 5 Virgin workers worked from home.

For cell service, check each carrier's own coverage map for the address. Coverage is usually solid along SR-9 and thinner up the canyons. The state map lists Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile only for fixed wireless home internet, which is not the same as phone coverage.

Moving day is only the start. Here is the short list for your first 90 days, in the order most people do it. The only Driver License office in the county is in Hurricane, about 28 minutes from Virgin.

1. Turn on the utilitiesOpen your water and trash account at Town Hall. Power is Rocky Mountain Power. Ask the seller about propane. Call about a week before you move in.
2. Get your Utah driver licenseThe Driver License office is at 102 South 5300 West in Hurricane. Book an appointment. Bring proof of who you are, your Social Security number, proof of your Utah address, and your current license. There is a written test.
3. Register your carUtah gives you 60 days to register after you set up a permanent home. The state DMV office is next door, at 100 South 5300 West. Washington County does not require an emissions test. A car that is new to Utah needs a quick VIN check.
4. Register to voteDo it online at vote.utah.gov once you have your Utah license or state ID.
5. Claim the primary home tax breakWashington County asks the owner to apply. You can apply online, or call the assessor at 435-301-7020. The taxes topic in chapter 2 explains the rule.
6. Sign up for schoolRegister through the Washington County School District. Check the boundary map for your address first.
7. Learn your trash and recyclingCans come from Washington County Solid Waste. Glass goes to a drop-off site, not the curb.
8. Find your library and post officeThe nearest branch of the Washington County Library System is in Hurricane, at 36 South 300 West, about 16 minutes away. Check USPS for the post office that serves ZIP code 84779.

Rules and office hours change. Check each office before you go.

Virgin has no grocery store. It does have a 24-hour Sunoco on SR-9 with fuel, a car wash, and a store. The nearest full grocery is Davis Food and Drug, at 495 North State Street in La Verkin, about 10 minutes west. It has a pharmacy and a True Value hardware counter inside.

For a bigger run, Lin's Fresh Market in Hurricane is about 17 minutes away, and the Walmart Supercenter is about 21. Sol Foods in Springdale is about 19 minutes east, and it is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. Most weekly runs from Virgin go west.

There is no bank in Virgin or La Verkin. The banks are on State Street in Hurricane. Maverik in La Verkin is open 24 hours and sells propane. Bucks Ace Hardware in Hurricane covers bigger hardware needs. For mail, check USPS for the post office that serves ZIP code 84779.

What still means a longer drive

The mall, Target, Lowe's, Home Depot, and Sprouts mean a trip to St. George or Washington City. Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and IKEA are in Las Vegas, about 2.5 hours away.

Store lists change. These were checked against store, FDIC, and town pages in October 2026. Drive times come from a road-routing model run from the town office.

Virgin sits between a national park and a mountain road. Zion's south entrance is about 20 minutes east. Kolob Terrace Road starts at the east side of town and climbs into the high country. Bike trails start just west, and the river runs through the middle of town. Here is where I would start.

Night skies matter here too. Virgin is not a certified dark-sky town, but it has its own lighting rule, and Zion and Springdale both hold dark-sky designations. A paved path planned along SR-9, from La Verkin to Springdale, would pass through town. It is still a plan, so check its status before you count on it.

Also close by

Roads, permits and closures change, so check before you go. Facts come from the Zion conditions page, the Subway permit page, the Town of Virgin parks page and the BLM page for the Guacamole Trail.

Zion National Park is the reason many people look at Virgin. The south entrance is about 20 minutes east on SR-9, nearer than from La Verkin or Hurricane. That is close enough for a sunrise hike and home by lunch. Virgin has the road that leads into the park's west side, and Springdale has the main canyon.

Zion had 4,984,525 visits in 2025. It was the second busiest national park in the country, so SR-9 and the canyon fill up in busy months. The 2026 fee is $35 per car. Visitors who live outside the U.S. pay a $100 fee per person age 16 and up. The canyon shuttle is free, and Angels Landing needs a permit.

You can leave the car at home. A park and ride lot at Zion White Bison Resort, 400 SR-9, sends shuttles to Springdale. The public transportation topic has the fares, days, and stops.

Drive times are map estimates from the town office with no traffic. Fees are for 2026 and come from the National Park Service. The park and ride facts come from the Town of Virgin. Check before you go.

Brian Head Resort is the closest place with ski lifts. It is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Virgin, in the mountains east of Cedar City. Its base sits at 9,600 feet.

The resort usually opens in November, so check its site for opening day. In town it hardly ever snows, about 1.4 inches in a normal year, so skiing always means a drive.

Eagle Point Resort, in Beaver County, is closed for the 2026-27 winter. If you only want to see snow, the snow topic has the closer places.

Thinking about a home up the mountain? See the Brian Head page. Drive times are map estimates from the town office with no traffic.

There is no golf course in Virgin, Rockville or Springdale. The nearest public courses are in Hurricane, and Sky Mountain is the closest, in the north part of that city. Hurricane's downtown is about 15 minutes from Virgin. January highs average about 52°F, so winter is golf weather here.

More courses are farther on. Washington City, St. George and Ivins have several. Black Desert in Ivins is public, and the PGA TOUR played its Bank of Utah Championship there October 1 to 4, 2026.

Course facts come from Greater Zion and Sand Hollow Resort. Call a course for tee times and today's conditions.

Virgin has two sit-down restaurants open in 2026. Balcony One is on SR-9 at the west edge of town. Black Sage is up Dalton Wash Road. Neither is a quick lunch stop, so for breakfast or lunch plan on La Verkin or Springdale.

Places people know

• Southwest AmericanBalcony One770 W SR-9, Virgin, about 3 minutesSteaks, ribs, salmon and homemade desserts, with a bar that has live music. The bar is for ages 21 and up. It posts hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 3 pm to 9 pm, and it is closed Monday. It opened around 2020 and is family owned.
• Farm to tableBlack Sage at Open Sky Zion3405 Dalton Wash Rd, VirginA locally sourced menu in an indoor room or on a covered patio. It lists dinner daily, 5 pm to 9 pm, by reservation only. It is open to the public. The last 3.5 miles are county gravel road, so give yourself extra time.
• Gas station foodSunoco323 SR-9, VirginOpen 24 hours, with a convenience store, diesel and a car wash.
• Bakery, SpringdaleBonrue Bakery828 Zion Park Blvd, SpringdalePastry and coffee, open every day, 7 am to 3 pm. About 19 minutes east.
• Southwestern, SpringdaleBit and Spur Restaurant and Saloon1212 Zion Park Blvd, SpringdaleSouthwestern and Mexican food in a saloon, open 7 days, 5 pm to 9:30 pm. About 18 minutes east.

Some resorts in and near town have a cafe or a market, such as AutoCamp Zion, Zion River Resort and Under Canvas Zion. They serve their own guests, so I do not count them as the town's restaurants. Hurricane has the chains and many more local places, about 15 to 22 minutes west.

I chose these because each one shows a current website, hours or 2026 news. This is not a ranking, and no one paid to be on it. Hours change, and Balcony One may close for part of winter, so check before you drive. See the Balcony One site and the Black Sage page.

Groceries, fuel and the hardware counter are covered under Groceries and shopping in chapter 3.

Virgin is quiet on purpose. The town has a few highway businesses, a small town park and a historic hall. Most weekends here are spent outside, so the outdoor recreation topic holds the main list. The town is also known for one event, the Red Bull Rampage.

• Freeride mountain bikingRed Bull RampageNear Virgin, on public landA freeride contest where riders build their own lines on steep red rock. It is held in October, most years over two days. The first one was in 2001, and the women's contest began in 2024. In 2026, the 25th year, it returned to its original site on BLM land off Kolob Terrace Road. The BLM approved the 2026 event and one more within ten years, after the ground is repaired. The event is on TV and online.
• Town venueHeritage Town Square114 S Mill StA restored historic hall with a full kitchen, a courtyard, an outdoor dance floor and a historic jailhouse. The town leases it for weddings, reunions, classes and craft shows.
• Town parksVirgin Town ParkIn the older part of townA gazebo with a kitchen, a playground, a pickleball court, a baseball field, picnic tables and grills.
• Town parksPocketville HollowNorth of SR-9, in the town centerA large grassy dog area, a walking path, and picnic tables.
• Ghost townGraftonAbout 22 minutes, gravel at the endA preserved pioneer ghost town on the river, down a gravel road.
• Bigger nightsSt. GeorgeAbout 40 minutesTheaters, big stores and a long list of restaurants.

For a movie or a museum, Hurricane is about 15 minutes west. Its city pool is closed while it is rebuilt, and Washington City's community center has pools. For a big concert or a pro game, many people drive to Las Vegas, about 2.5 hours away.

Hours and dates change, so check each place before you go. Facts come from Red Bull, the BLM and the Town of Virgin.

Virgin has no gallery, museum or theater of its own. The arts are in Springdale to the east and in Hurricane, St. George and Ivins to the west. In town, the nearest thing is Heritage Town Square, where the town leases space for craft shows and art exhibits.

Details come from the Town of Virgin and Hurricane Theatrical. Check before you go.

Virgin's own calendar is short. The town lists meetings and one community event, Trunk or Treat on October 31. Most of the year's events are in the valley around it, and Red Bull Rampage is the big one near town.

• JanuaryNo Virgin event is listed. Trails stay open, and highs average about 52°F.
• FebruaryNo Virgin event is listed.
• MarchThe Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival is usually in late March. It ran March 27 to 28, 2026, with rides on JEM, Gooseberry and Guacamole.
• AprilThe Washington County Fair ran April 10 to 18 in 2026, at Legacy Park in Hurricane. La Verkin holds an Easter event.
• MayThe Epson Tour played the Copper Rock Championship in Hurricane May 14 to 16, 2026.
• JuneLa Verkin has a Water Day. Springdale held a star party on June 13, 2026.
• JulyLa Verkin holds a Fourth of July event, and Hurricane has fireworks at Sand Hollow.
• AugustNo Virgin event is listed. Hurricane Theatrical staged a show at the Fine Arts Center into September in 2026.
• SeptemberHurricane Peach Days, the weekend before Labor Day. It ran September 3 to 5 in 2026.
• OctoberRed Bull Rampage is usually in October. The 25th year ran October 8 to 10, 2026. Virgin holds Trunk or Treat on October 31, free, at the town office lot and park.
• NovemberThe Zion National Park Art Invitational is held in November. Brian Head usually opens for skiing.
• DecemberLa Verkin usually holds Winterfest on the first weekend of December.

These are the usual months, and dates move a little each year. 2026 dates are shown where I have them. Check the Town of Virgin site before you plan a trip.

Virgin sits in the middle of the road to Zion. Rockville and Springdale are east, toward the park. La Verkin, Hurricane and St. George are west. Kolob Terrace Road climbs north from the east side of town. Here are the nearby towns and places, with drive times from the town office.

Longer drives

• St. George~33 mi · ~40 min
• Cedar City~44 mi · ~45 min
• Springdale~13 mi · ~20 min
• Brian Head~74 mi · ~1 hr 20 min
• Las Vegas~156 mi · ~2.5 hr
• Salt Lake City~294 mi · ~4 hr 25 min

Weighing Virgin against the towns on either side? Read about Springdale to the east and Hurricane to the west.

Drive times are map estimates from the town office with no traffic.