Paddling near Hurricane, UT

Sitting in Washington County at the gateway to Greater Zion, Hurricane anchors one of the driest corners of Utah yet reaches a surprising mix of water within roughly 50 miles: warm red-rock reservoirs, a whitewater-capable desert river, and a high-alpine lake. The marquee draws are Sand Hollow Reservoir about 9 miles southwest, Quail Creek and Gunlock reservoirs, and the Virgin River — the region's defining waterway, which forms near Zion and flows on toward Lake Mead.