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Toquerville Falls
For the locals, Toquerville Falls was a ride to the swimming hole on a
hot summer day. Now the teens are more likely to use an ATV. The ride is
on dirt road. Round trip is 12 miles with 2300 vertical feel of climbing.
This ride wouldn't make your Top Ten list for the area. It's scenic and
the falls are pretty. But the climbing is way too tough for families and
beginners, while not being particularly exciting for experienced riders.
View of the upper falls. Ride on
December 7, 2010. |
| Starting altitude is 3350, in the middle of
Toquerville. The falls itself is at 3750, but you'll climb to 4400 on the
way. There's about a mile of 10% slope. And you'll gain and lose a bit as
you traverse the mountain side heading up the La Verkin Creek canyon.
Head past this corral up the canyon.
There's parking just west of this corral if you don't want to gear up in
Toquerville. |
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Start the ride on Spring Street from SR-17 -- Toquerville's main street.
Or, head up Spring Street and continue on the dirt road for a mile to
the corral area. (Spring Street is very narrow. There's no parking in the residential
area.)
Looking southwest toward Hurricane
Mesa. |
| After 1/2 mile, the road turns to dirt. There will be a
steep climb along the water-treatment fence. Depending on conditions, cars
may not be able to clear this area after a rainstorm.
Heading northeast, we're looking at
Zion National Park on the skyline. To the right of the Navajo sandstone
mountain is a snow-covered plateau. |
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One mile from Toquerville, veer right and climb southwest up
a narrow canyon. Oh, good, it looks like you're through climbing that
steep canyon. Brief respite. Now it gets even steeper. At mile 2.7, you'll
think you're through climbing as you crest the hill and start down. Don't
celebrate. There's plenty more vertical yet to go.
At the falls. This is just the first
of three drops. |
| The trail goes up and down, more up than down, along the
edge of the bald hill for a couple of miles. Keep right as a road joins
from uphill at mile 3.7. Now the trail will descend toward the falls. At
mile 5 you'll hear the falls, then see it ahead to your right. As the road
reaches the bottom of the canyon, fork right on the smaller road to reach
the falls.
The bottom of the second falls has a pool used as a
swimming hole. |
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The creekbed just above the falls is solid rock. You can
ride your bike across. The deep spot, which you won't see until it's too
late, will get your shoes wet.
To do the loop ride, just ride your
bike across. |
| The alternate return is on undulating ATV track. It will
cross the creek four times, counting the first crossing above the falls.
Shortly after the last crossing, it will begin climbing stiffly back
toward the top of the first hill.
Just starting the doubletrack loop on
the eastern side of the creek. |
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If water conditions allow, and if you're crazy enough, it's sometimes
possible to ride the creek down. There's a bailout on the right about 1/2
mile down, or you can ride further down and climb out to the Moenkopi
Trail. I'm told that during the drought years early this century, this was
a reasonable route. Floods have now made things tougher by gouging the
channel and depositing large rocks. If much water is flowing in La Verkin
Creek, this route is Not Recommended.
Looking south as we climb away from
the falls. |
Toquerville Falls, from SR-17 in
Toquerville:
0.0 Northwest on Spring Street N37 15.407 W113 17.136
0.5 Pavement ends
0.7 Small parking spot on L N37 15.926 W113 16.798
1.0 ATV parking on R N37 16.135 W113 16.636
Veer R N37 16.194 W113 16.576
uphill past corral
1.7 Keep straight (option steeper ATV track on L)
N37 15.857 W113 16.170
2.7 Crest hill
2.8 Keep L on main road N37 16.426 W113 15.816
(R = optional return path)
3.7 Keep R and downhill N37 17.060 W113 15.692 |
5.8 R off main road N37 N37
18.071 W113 14.928
6.0 Falls N37 17.930 W113 14.820
Optional return (harder):
Cross creek above
falls, turn R downhill
6.4 Cross creek, then recross to east side
N37 17.708 W113
14.846
6.9 Cross creek to west side N37 17.308 W113 15.019
7.5 Keep R and uphill N37 16.865 W113 15.182
8.3 R to main road then L N37 16.426 W113 15.816
12.0 Back at SR-17 |
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Getting there: On I-15 about 20 miles north of
St. George, take the Toquerville exit on SR-17. Drive about 4 miles. Just
as you enter the town of Toquerville, watch for Spring Street on the east
(left). Do not park on Spring Street -- it's tiny. Either park on SR-17,
or drive uphill to find a parking spot along the dirt road.
Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide: View
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
Garmin
GPX Map
datum WGS 84
Wider-area topo map for printing: View
Lodging, camping, shops:
Links to St.
George area resources
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