About Gunlock Reservoir
Gunlock State Park, 40 minutes west of Zion via scenic Highway 18, boasts 35-foot depths with rock formations and catfish havens. Waterfalls in spring add thrill; summer temps 80 degrees Fahrenheit enable skin diving hybrids. Rocky entries demand booties; less crowded than Sand Hollow. Ideal post-Zion Angels Landing recovery dive.
Safety Considerations
Advanced open water recommended; strong inflows post-rain create rips. Rock slides from cliffs; fin carefully. Quicksand mud bottoms suck fins; use controlled kicks. UV index high; hydrate per REI desert protocols. Night dives prohibited; stick to daylight. PADI air shares practiced. Monitor for zebra mussels, invasive hitchhikers.
Essential Gear
5mm full wetsuits, rock booties (Mares), pony bottles for redundancy, and GoPro mounts for documenting safety checks.
Emergency Tips
Nitrogen narcosis at depth: ascend 10 feet, breathe deeply. Contact Gunlock Rangers (435) 627-4081.
Detailed Zion-area intel prevents mishaps at this rugged site.