Red sand beaches and crystal-clear waters perfect for boating, swimming, and off-road adventures
Sand Hollow State Park transforms southern Utah's red rock desert into an unexpected aquatic playground. The park's centerpiece is a stunning reservoir with impossibly blue water contrasting against soft red sand beaches and slickrock formations. Known for having some of the warmest and clearest water in the state, Sand Hollow draws families, boaters, and water sports enthusiasts who find the combination of desert scenery and beach recreation irresistible.
The reservoir offers excellent conditions for everything from leisurely swimming to wakeboarding and cliff jumping. The water remains relatively shallow near the beaches, making it ideal for families with children, while deeper areas accommodate boats and more adventurous swimmers. Beyond the water, Sand Hollow is equally famous for its massive sand dunes at Sand Mountain, where off-highway vehicles carve paths through pristine red sand. The park provides one of Utah's premier OHV experiences, with trails suitable for ATVs, dirt bikes, and rock crawlers.
Located in Hurricane, about 30 minutes from Zion National Park, Sand Hollow serves as both a destination and a refreshing detour for southern Utah travelers. The park can get extremely crowded on summer weekends, with the red sand becoming scorching hot by midday. Early arrival is essential for securing a good spot and avoiding the heat. Day use fees run around $20-30 depending on residency status.
The park's unique blend of water recreation and desert landscape creates an experience unlike anywhere else in the region. Where else can visitors spend the morning exploring slot canyons in Zion, then cool off in the afternoon jumping off red rock cliffs into pristine reservoir waters? Sand Hollow proves that southern Utah's adventures extend well beyond hiking trails.
Sand Hollow's reservoir and the surrounding terrain deliver two distinct experiences in close proximity. The reservoir itself sits in a bowl of soft red sand beaches and slickrock formations, with blue water in contrast to the desert palette around it. The water is relatively shallow near the beaches and deeper toward the center, supporting both casual swimming areas and space for powered watercraft. Beyond the reservoir, Sand Mountain — the large OHV area within the park — draws visitors on ATVs, dirt bikes, and rock crawlers. The two sections, water and dunes, serve different visitor types within the same park boundary. The red sand beach environment is visually distinctive and creates photography conditions unlike typical reservoir parks.
Sand Hollow is located in Hurricane, roughly 30 minutes from Zion's south entrance. The reservoir is open year-round, with summer drawing the heaviest use. On summer weekends, the park can get extremely crowded and the parking areas fill early — arriving before 9 a.m. is essential for a good spot during the peak July and August window. The red sand becomes very hot by midday in summer; plan water time in the morning or bring shade equipment for the beach. The OHV area operates separately from the beach and reservoir access. Boating, wakeboarding, and cliff jumping from appropriate launch points are among the water activities the reservoir supports.
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I go there often to paddleboat...if you catch it when the wind is down it is beautiful! There is an area that is no boats...but the wake boarder and wake surfers are always working the left side of the area which makes no sense because there is all this lake available to them...unfortunately they can create pretty big wakes at times ...all in all super place for paddleboarding
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in the last week
EXCELLENT MUY DIVERTIDO FANTASTICO 😍
in the last week
A drop of water in the middle of Hell. I suppose, if you're stranded in a desert, ho here.
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