Hurricane Pioneers

Hurricane got its name from a gust of wind. In 1863, three men — Erastus Snow, David Cannon, and Nephi Johnson — were scouting the upper Virgin River for land to irrigate, easing a heavy buggy down a steep old trail with ropes to keep it upright, when a whirlwind swept up and tore the top clean off. "Well, that was a hurricane," Snow declared, and named the hill on the spot. The fault, the bench below it, and eventually the town all took the name of that one bad gust.

What the plaque says

In 1863 settlers of the upper Virgin River whose lands were being washed away made preliminary surveys for irrigating and occupying these lands. Erastus Snow, David H. Cannon and Nephi Johnson came down the hill over an old Indian trail, with a heavy buggy drawn by mules, using ropes to keep it from tipping. A whirlwind took the top of the buggy. Erastus Snow exclaimed, "Well, that was a hurricane. We'll name this Hurricane Hill." The fault, bench and town were named from this event.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Hurricane Canal Trail — 0.4 mi
  The hand-dug canal that built Hurricane, now a walking trail blasted into the Virgin River gorge
• Grafton Ghost Town — 12 mi
  A photogenic ghost town used in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
• Springdale — 16 mi
  Zion's south-entrance gateway town, wedged between the Watchman and the Virgin River
• Zion National Park — 17 mi
  Towering sandstone cliffs that glow like fire at sunset

More markers nearby

• Spencer and Helen Isom "Home" — steps away
• Stanworth Home — steps away
• Sheltlar Wagon — steps away
• Birth of Hurricane — 0.4 mi