Utah never ceases to amaze me. With red rock slot canyons, alpine mountains, and everything in between. Toquerville Falls is one of those spots that leaves me in awe.
These incredible cascading falls are also the perfect spot to cool off on a hot summer day! The road to the falls is not for the faint of heart, but you won’t be disappointed once you make it there!
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Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Toquerville Falls
Table of Contents
- Important information before visiting Toquerville Falls
- How to get to Toquerville Falls
- What to expect while driving to Toquerville Falls
- Swimming at Toquerville Falls
- The best time to visit Toquerville Falls
Important information before visiting Toquerville Falls
- The road to Toquerville Falls is extremely rough. A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is required, and an ATV would be optimal. Bring a spare tire just in case.
- The dirt road leading to the falls is 5 miles long. Plan for a 30-45 minute drive.
- There are no restrooms or garbage cans located onsite. Pack out everything you pack in and DO NOT leave any trash behind.
- Toquerville Falls is located on BLM land and free camping is allowed, just be sure to bring a portable toilet and properly dispose of human waste.
- Come prepared with plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, towels, and water toys.
- It is often windy here, so you may want to bring a jacket.
- Be sure to wear water shoes or lightweight tennis shoes.
- We also love taking our GoPro whenever we are around water.
- This spot is becoming more popular, especially on the weekends in the summer. Try to visit during the week if possible.
How to get to Toquerville Falls
Toquerville is a small relatively unknown town in Southern Utah. It is centrally located about a half-hour from St. George and Zion National Park.
From I-15, take the Toquerville UT-17 exit and drive south for 2.6 miles. Take a left on Spring Drive and continue for 0.8 miles.
Soon after passing Lava Heights Academy, the paved road will end and the dirt road will begin. There is parking alongside the road and is a good staging spot if you are planning to take an ATV.
From this point, you’ll drive 3 miles until the road comes to a fork. Take the road to the RIGHT and continue approximately 2 more miles until you reach the top of the falls.
There is plenty of open space to park and the falls can be easily accessed at this point.
What to expect while driving to Toquerville Falls
It is important to know what to expect and not attempt the drive if you are not prepared.
The road starts out relatively easy but will soon turn rocky and extremely rough. We saw several people turning around or parking on the side and choosing to hike the rest of the way.
It is possible to walk alongside the road, but it is a long and hilly 5-mile hike each way with no shade, so I would not advise it in the summer heat.
We drove a lifted truck with 4WD. Although we only needed to engage the 4-wheel-drive once, it still bottomed out a few times due to the steep hills and large rocks on the road.
We also had to pull over and let the engine rest when the transmission began to overheat after climbing a steep hill.
If you are nervous to take your vehicle on this road, I would recommend looking into renting an ATV or taking a guided tour. If you use the code ‘simplywander’ at check out, you can even get 10% off your booking!
Click here to book online now!
But the views along the way are beautiful and the falls are more than worth the effort it takes to get there! It makes for the best adventure!
Swimming at Toquerville Falls
Once you make it up the treacherous road, you will be rewarded with the most spectacular views and magical swimming hole that Utah has to offer!
La Verkin Creek flows casually through the open wilderness The creek is so calm, in fact, that vehicles can drive right through it at the top of the waterfall.
*Related post: check out our guides for the Best Things to do in St George with Kids and the Secret Waterfall Hike in Zion!
As the placid creek reaches a drop in the landscape, it turns into wild untamed falls.
The cascading falls create several tiered pools that are perfect for wading in the shallow areas and plunging into the deeper pools.
The upper pools are more shallow and perfect for young kids and families. In the summer the pools are teeming with tadpoles that are fun for the little ones to catch.
The lower pools are a little deeper and the older kids will have fun cliff jumping.
Just be sure to jump close to the falls as that is the deepest part. The water becomes more shallow around the outer edge of the pool.
*Related posts: If you’re looking to explore more waterfalls in Utah, be sure to check out our guides to Kanarra Falls and Stewart Falls!
If you want to walk down to the lower pools, you’ll need to follow the dirt trail around to the left.
The trail is a bit steep in one section with loose dirt and gravel. Be sure to wear water shoes with traction or lightweight tennis shoes, and use caution as it is easy to slip. I would not recommend wearing flip flops or going barefoot.
This is the same trail you’ll use to climb back up once you jump.
The river continues at the base of the pool and meanders across the landscape creating smaller pools to play in and water to wade in.
If you are looking for a shady place to relax and eat a picnic lunch, there is a long alcove along the left edge of the falls that is the perfect spot.
Set up your blankets and towels for the perfect base camp while the kids set out and explore. It really is a magical summer swimming hole and you could easily spend all day playing in the falls.
Be sure to pack plenty of food, water, and sunscreen. You can also bring floaties and water toys for the little ones.
Also, make sure to head home before the sun goes down so that you are not navigating the rough road in the dark.
*Related post: for another one of Utah’s best-kept secrets, check out our guide to visiting Utah’s Pink Lake!
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The best time to visit Toquerville Falls
The waterfall flows year-round, but the best time to visit is during the week in the summer. The weather is hot enough that the cold water is refreshing, but plan to visit during the week to avoid the crowds.
In the late spring and early fall, the water will be a little colder but you won’t deal with the crowds. This is especially a good time to visit if you are interested in just photographing the falls.
Avoid going in the winter or after it has rained as the road becomes too wet and muddy to pass.
I hope you get a chance to visit this awesome summer swimming hole that is fun for the whole family!
And if you’re looking to soak in some hot springs, check out our guide to 4 of the Best Hot Springs in Utah!
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