Drive to Toquerville Falls
Spring Drive, east of town · Free, BLM land · March to November, skip after rain
This is the destination most people driving through Toquerville have actually come for: a genuine desert waterfall on La Verkin Creek, reached at the end of a rough dirt road that climbs into the backcountry east of town. Two pour offs, a cascade followed by a roughly 20 foot drop, keep the pool below running cold and clear even in the desert heat, and swimming is a real part of the draw in summer.
The road is the catch, and this page will not soften that. The falls page has the full honest picture of what the drive actually requires.
What makes it unusual for this corner of Utah
Free public access, no permit, and a genuinely rough road that filters out casual visitors more effectively than any gate could. That combination is rare on this stretch of Washington County, where most comparable water features either charge a fee or sit inside a park boundary.
The creek, and a common mix up
Despite the short drive from a town Ash Creek runs directly through, the falls themselves sit on La Verkin Creek, a separate drainage entirely. Do not assume the two are the same waterway.
The details
Getting there
Head east from town onto Spring Drive and follow the BLM road. High clearance is required and four wheel drive is strongly recommended; a standard passenger car should not attempt this route.
Before you go
- Check recent weather before you go. The road crosses the creek directly and rutted, muddy conditions after rain make it far worse.
- Bring more clearance than you think you need. This is a genuine off-road route, not a rough paved shortcut.
- The first stretch of the road crosses private property near the trailhead. Respect posted boundaries.
- Pack water, a full tank, and a plan for cell service gaps, since this is genuine backcountry driving.
- Swimming in the pool below the falls is popular in summer; there are no lifeguards or facilities.
Walk the historic townsite and the Naegle Winery house
Toquerville Boulevard, at the old townsite · Free · Year round
The 1858 blocks along Toquerville Boulevard and Ash Creek are where the town's actual history sits, and it is worth a slow walk now that the new parkway carries most of the through traffic elsewhere. The centerpiece is the Naegle Winery house, a two story sandstone building John C. Naegle raised between 1866 and 1868 at Brigham Young's direction, one of the only real survivors of an entire regional wine industry.
Pioneer era homes and deep irrigated lots line the boulevard under the black volcanic hills that give the town its distinctive backdrop, a genuinely different feel from the parkway corridor's newer construction a short drive west.
Why a winery in Mormon Utah
Brigham Young called Naegle specifically to establish and run a winery and to teach settlers the process, part of what is known as the Dixie Wine Mission, an offshoot of the 1861 Cotton Mission. The wine served a sacramental purpose for the church until the practice was discontinued in the late 19th century, after which the building shifted to canning figs and later peaches.
What survives today
The Naegle Winery house itself, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 20 February 1980, is the clearest physical link to that era left standing anywhere in this part of Utah.
The details
Getting there
Park along Toquerville Boulevard, the old main street through the historic core. Traffic here is far lighter than it was before the parkway opened.
Before you go
- The Naegle Winery house and most surrounding historic homes are private property. View from the street.
- Pair this walk with a stop at Center Street Park a short distance away.
- Photography works best in morning or late afternoon light against the black volcanic hills behind the townsite.
- This is a lived-in residential area, not a museum district. Respect driveways and posted property lines.
- The Washington County Historical Society periodically hosts guided tours of Toquerville. Check for a current schedule if you want a deeper version of this walk.
See Chief Toquer Reservoir
Near I-15, close to Anderson Junction · Free to view · Fill schedule depends on snowpack
A brand new reservoir is arriving on Toquerville's doorstep, part of a larger regional water project that pipes water roughly 19 miles from the Ash Creek Reservoir near New Harmony. Chief Toquer Reservoir is built to hold up to 3,725 acre feet, and Utah State Parks took over management of it in July 2026, a real sign of how far the project has come.
Recreation here, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, depends on the lake actually filling, which is a snowpack and pipeline question rather than a fixed calendar date. Treat any specific opening timeline as a moving target and check current status before planning a trip specifically around it.
Why this project exists
The Ash Creek Reservoir near New Harmony has been losing water to seepage for years. Rather than let that water go to waste, the roughly $94 million Ash Creek Project pipes it to a new, better sited reservoir near Toquerville, while treated water also helps preserve the town's own Toquerville Springs supply for drinking water.
What to expect right now
As of this writing the reservoir is filling rather than fully open for recreation. A visit today is about watching a new piece of regional infrastructure take shape, not yet about a day on the water.
The details
Getting there
Head toward the Anderson Junction interchange from town. Current public access and any facilities are still developing alongside the reservoir itself.
Before you go
- This is genuinely new. Do not assume the reservoir is open for boating or fishing without checking current Utah State Parks information first.
- The reservoir's capacity, up to 3,725 acre feet, gives a sense of scale but not a promise of a specific water level on any given visit.
- Chief Toquer, the reservoir's namesake, is the same Paiute leader Toquerville itself is named for.
- The project also benefits Toquerville's own drinking water supply, not just recreation, by helping preserve the town's spring water for potable use.
- Confirm current construction status before assuming any part of the site is accessible to the public.
Note Anderson Junction and drive the new parkway
I-15 exit 27 and the Toquerville Parkway · Free · Under active construction
Anderson Junction, the I-15 interchange at exit 27, is quietly one of the more useful pieces of infrastructure in this part of Washington County. It sits three miles from Toquerville's historic core and is developing as the city's own commercial and light-industrial node, with the Toquerville Parkway, a roughly 4.5 mile bypass, carrying traffic and new development along the west bench.
It is not a scenic attraction in the ordinary sense, but understanding it explains almost everything else on The Local: why the historic townsite stays quiet, where the new construction is actually happening, and why Toquerville reaches the interstate faster than most towns its size in this corridor.
Why this interchange matters
A true interstate on-ramp three miles out, without living next to one, is a genuine locational advantage, and it is the reason Toquerville's commute times to St. George and beyond stay competitive with towns that sit directly on the freeway.
What is actually happening there now
First employers are breaking ground at the commercial node, and the parkway itself is opening in phases rather than all at once. Expect construction equipment and shifting traffic patterns for years, not months.
The details
Getting there
Take SR-17 west from town to I-15 at exit 27. The Toquerville Parkway branches off before the interchange itself.
Before you go
- This is best understood as infrastructure worth knowing about, not a sightseeing stop in its own right.
- Expect construction activity for years as the parkway, the commercial node and SunRiver Firelight all build out together.
- SR-17 remains the spine road connecting the interchange through town toward La Verkin and the park country.
- The dedicated Anderson Junction page in this companion covers the fuller picture of what is planned and underway.
- Confirm current road conditions before a trip, since phased construction can shift traffic patterns without much notice.
Spend an afternoon at Center Street Park
Center Street, the historic townsite · Free · Year round
Toquerville's own civic gathering place is small, unpretentious, and exactly what a town this size actually needs: a pavilion, a ball field, and a pickleball court, sitting inside the historic core near the wine mission era buildings. It anchors the town's own calendar, including the Fourth of July breakfast and program held here each year.
There is nothing dramatic about it, and that is rather the point. It is a genuine, working piece of small town life, not a destination built for visitors.
What the town's calendar looks like here
Beyond the July 4th program, Toquerville holds its Pioneer Day parade on July 24th and crowns Miss Toquerville each May, both genuinely local traditions rather than events built to draw outside crowds.
Why it is worth the stop
Pairing a visit here with the historic townsite walk a short distance away gives a fuller sense of Toquerville as a lived-in community rather than only a growth statistic or a rough road to a waterfall.
The details
Getting there
Park near the historic core and walk over, or drive directly to Center Street. The park sits close to the Naegle Winery house and the older townsite blocks.
Before you go
- Pickleball courts can be busy in the cooler morning and evening hours, especially spring through fall.
- The Fourth of July program and Pioneer Day parade are the two biggest annual draws here. Confirm current dates with the city.
- This is a genuine neighborhood park, not a tourist facility. Keep it that way by respecting posted hours and rules.
- Shade is limited midday in summer. Plan accordingly for an afternoon visit.
- It pairs naturally with the historic townsite walk a short distance away.
Time a visit around the town's own calendar
Center Street Park and the historic core · Free to attend · May, July
Toquerville's yearly calendar is small town in the best sense: a Fourth of July breakfast and program at Center Street Park, a Pioneer Day parade down the historic core on July 24th, and the Miss Toquerville pageant each May. None of these are built for tourism, and that is exactly what makes them worth timing a visit around if the dates line up.
This is a genuinely different kind of visit than the falls or the reservoir, less about a destination and more about seeing the town as its own residents experience it.
What each event actually is
The July 4th program centers on Center Street Park itself, the Pioneer Day parade runs through the historic core along Toquerville Boulevard, and the Miss Toquerville pageant is a genuine local tradition rather than a manufactured spectacle.
Confirm before you plan around it
Exact times and specific routes can shift year to year. Check with the city directly rather than assuming a fixed schedule repeats exactly.
The details
Getting there
Park near Center Street Park for the July events, or along the historic core for the parade route. Expect limited parking on the busiest dates.
Before you go
- Confirm current dates directly with Toquerville City rather than assuming a fixed annual schedule.
- These are genuinely local, low key events, not built for a large outside crowd, and that is part of their appeal.
- The Fourth of July program and Pioneer Day parade both draw on the town's pioneer heritage described on the wine mission page.
- Arrive early for the parade if you want a good viewing spot along the historic core.
- Pair a July visit with the historic townsite walk for the fuller picture of the town's own story.
Drive north to Kolob Canyons
I-15 exit 40, about 13 miles north · Standard Zion entrance fee · Year round
This is not Toquerville's own, and this page will not pretend otherwise. Kolob Canyons, Zion's quiet northwest entrance, sits about 13 miles north on I-15, and it already has its own dedicated coverage from the town that sits closest to it.
For the full depth on this entrance, its scenic drive and its overlook, see Kanarraville's Kolob Canyons page, which owns that ground properly. What is genuinely true from Toquerville is the drive time: close enough for an easy add to a day that starts here.
Why it is last on this list
Everything else on this list is Toquerville's own or genuinely close to it. This one is an honest inclusion of a real nearby option, not a claim of ownership over a subject another companion already covers in depth.
The honest drive time
About 13 miles and 15 to 20 minutes north on I-15 to exit 40, comparable to the drive from several other towns in this corridor.
The details
Getting there
Head north on I-15 to exit 40. The visitor center and scenic drive sit right at the interchange.
Before you go
- This page will not repeat the depth already covered on Kanarraville's own Kolob Canyons page.
- No shuttle or timed entry is required here, unlike parts of Zion's main canyon.
- This is a separate entrance from Zion's main canyon at Springdale, about 20 miles south of Toquerville by a different route.
- Combine it with a stop in Kanarraville itself, whose own companion covers the town behind another famous permit hike.
- Treat this one as a bonus stop on the way out of town, not a reason to visit Toquerville on its own.
Two Toquervilles
The 1858 town, and the one being built right now.
Almost everything on The Local falls into one of two Toquervilles, and knowing which is which is the fastest way to understand the town.
| The historic townsite | The parkway corridor | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Toquerville Boulevard, along Ash Creek | West bench, along the new parkway |
| What is there | The 1858 grid, the Naegle Winery house, Center Street Park | SunRiver Firelight, Anderson Junction, Chief Toquer Reservoir |
| Pace | Quiet, largely unchanged in decades | Under active construction for years to come |
| Traffic | Local only, since the parkway opened | Carries Zion bound and interstate traffic |
Both are genuinely Toquerville. Neither one is the whole story on its own.
Before you go
What to pack, and what to check first.
Most of what goes wrong on a Toquerville trip comes down to one thing: assuming a standard car and a fixed schedule where neither applies.
For the falls specifically
- A high clearance vehicle, ideally four wheel drive
- A full tank; there is no fuel on Spring Drive
- A recent weather check; skip the road after rain
- Water, sun protection and a swimsuit if the pool is calling
- A plan for gaps in cell service on the road out
Check before you go
- Current Chief Toquer Reservoir access and fill status with Utah State Parks
- Current dates for the July 4th program, the Pioneer Day parade and the Miss Toquerville pageant
- Toquerville Parkway construction status if your route depends on it
- The Washington County Historical Society for any current guided townsite tour
Show up and it is fine
- The historic townsite walk and the Naegle Winery house
- Center Street Park, any day of the week
- A drive past Anderson Junction to see the growth corridor
- The view of the black volcanic hills behind the old townsite
Do not drive Spring Drive toward Toquerville Falls in a standard passenger car. The road is posted as extremely rough BLM dirt with rock ledges and creek crossings, and it strands unprepared vehicles regularly. High clearance is required and four wheel drive is strongly recommended. Skip the road entirely after rain.
What this list leaves out, and why
- A named Toquerville Secret Falls as a separate attraction from Toquerville Falls. Research for this companion could not independently verify a distinct place by that name, and this page will not describe one it cannot confirm.
- A fixed opening date or full recreation guide for Chief Toquer Reservoir. It is genuinely new, and printing a specific date here would go stale before this page is next revisited. Check Utah State Parks directly.
- Kolob Canyons in any depth beyond the one honest mention above. Kanarraville's own companion owns that ground from the town closest to it.
- A dining or lodging guide. What is open near Anderson Junction shifts as the commercial node builds out, and printing specific business names here would age quickly.
