ST. GEORGE, Utah, May 7, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The waterfalls at Gunlock State Park have ceased to flow due to an operational modification of Gunlock Reservoir requested by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.
“High levels of visitation have made it difficult for individuals and families to social distance themselves from others during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a news release from Utah State Parks. “Although the waterfalls are no longer running, Gunlock State Park remains open, allowing a limited number of visitors to safely visit the park. Once the park reaches capacity, additional visitors will not be admitted until it is back under capacity.”
Utah State Parks is also increasing traffic measures and enforcement in the area to help mitigate congestion, the news release said. Parking near the falls and within the state park will be restricted to designated parking areas only, and limited to the west side of the road along Gunlock Road.
Visitors are encouraged to:
- Check park conditions online and individual state park social media accounts. Extensive wait times, capacity, and other updates will be posted there.
- Choose to visit a state park during a weekday, or during non-peak hours whenever possible. Visit parks that are close to home.
- Practice safe social distancing. Give others at least 6 feet of separation on trails, golf courses, fishing docks, overlooks, and other gathering areas.
- Avoid congregating at trailheads and other common areas and maintain small group sizes.
- Stay home if you’re sick or have symptoms of the coronavirus.
- Keep parks and recreation areas clean by packing out what you pack in, and respect facility closures like visitor centers, campgrounds, and restrooms.
- Visitors can also prepay for day use at select state parks at stateparks.utah.gov.
Gunlock Reservoir is owned and operated by the Washington County Water Conservancy District. To prevent the water from spilling over the dam, which creates the waterfalls, the district has released water from the base of the dam. This modification will not impact flows into the Santa Clara River or downstream uses.
