Kayak at Sand Hollow State Park

Kayak at Sand Hollow State Park and enjoy one of the many activities available in southern Utah. I’ve been there with my kids, and on another occasion my wife to enjoy a day on the water during a couple’s weekend. If you’re looking for some year-round fun on the water, add “kayak at Sand Hollow State Park” to your to-do list.

Here’s a rundown to help you plan your visit.

NOTE: During the summer months, Sand Hollow State Park is reaching capacity as early as 11 a.m. If that happens, the park limits access. Come early if you plan to spend the day on the lake.

Getting to Sand Hollow State Park

Sand Hollow State Park is a 20-minute drive east from St. George. The easiest route I’ve found is to take I-15 and get off on exit 16. Follow Highway 9 toward Hurricane and you’ll see a sign to take a right to Sand Hollow.

There’s also Quail Creek State Park, but that’s a left-hand turn several miles before the turnoff to Sand Hollow. So don’t end up at the wrong reservoir.

As you get closer to the lake, you can probably follow almost any vehicle pulling a boat. But if you aren’t lucky enough to have a boat in front of you (haha), then just follow the signs. The state park entrance will be on your left.

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When you enter the park, check in at the Visitor Center to pay your fee – or show your State Parks pass. They will ask you about other places your kayaks have been to ensure there are no quagga mussels hitching a ride. They are the STD of the sea and cause a lot of problems if they take up root in a new lake. Be mindful.

Accessing the Waterfront

There are a few spots you can use to launch your kayaks. The road forks soon after entering the park. If you go straight, you’ll access the boat launch area. While you probably don’t need a boat ramp to launch a kayak, you can park in that area and take your kayaks down the to the water.

A designated swimming area is near the boat ramp. There’s an island people like to swim out to. There’s also a cliff jumping area on the north end of the lake. You can kayak in these designated swimming areas, but be mindful of the swimmers.

Head south at the fork in the road to find beach space. The road heads east again as you turn the corner around “The Beach at Sand Hollow” cafe. You can park in the large parking lot there and have water access, although the beach is pretty short. So it’s not ideal if you plan to set up a canopy and enjoy several hours at the lake.

Further east, you can park along the north side of the road, or at some of the parking lots along the route. Don’t park illegally or in a spot that makes it challenging (or impossible) for someone to navigate their vehicles. Once you get to the east side of the lake, there is less beach and more trees. Accessing the waterfront may be more challenging.

Kayaking Safety & Tips

Wind can be your worst enemy when kayaking. During our last visit, my wife and I headed out from The Beach cafe area. Our goal was to circle the island by the boat launch. It took us about 18 minutes to reach the island – we had the wind at our backs. It took us more than one hour to paddle back to our vehicle.

There were waves that would splash water into the kayak. A few good waves buried the front of the kayak in the water for a moment. If you stopped paddling, you would lose ground.

During our adventure, a few wave runners and even a park ranger came by to ask if we needed a hand. We declined, as we were up for the adventure and didn’t feel in danger of capsizing. If we changed our minds, they told us to just waver our paddles and someone would be there to tow us in. I love it when people are nice like that.

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Here are some safety tips you should keep in mind when kayaking:

1. Always wear a life jacket or Personal Floatation Device (PFD). Even adults should wear one.
2. Carry some water with you. It gets hot in Utah in the summer, and you don’t want to get dehydrated.
3. Wear a hat AND apply sunscreen.
4. Have a whistle with you in case you need to alert someone of a situation. Three long blows on the whistle indicate an emergency.
5. Carry a towline. I always have a towline with me (water ski rope) so I can connect to the other kayak if I need to help them paddle back to shore.
6. Don’t kayak solo. It’s best with a buddy anyway.
7. Be aware of the weather. Wind, rain and lightning can be extremely dangerous. In Utah, weather can change pretty quickly.
8. Don’t venture too far away from shoreline.
9. Plan on getting wet. Don’t carry phones or other electronic devices that don’t handle water well. If you capsize, you don’t want to lose or damage your devices.

The Details

Address: 3351 Sand Hollow Rd, Hurricane, UT 84737

Cost: $15 per vehicle for up to 8 people. Utah seniors 62 and older are $10. Walk-ins are $5 per person. Campgrounds are available as well for additional fees, starting at $28 per night. A Utah State Park pass ($75) provides access to all 44 state parks.

Hours: April through September, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. October through March, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/sand-hollow/

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