Veyo Pool & Crawdad Canyon reopens under new ownership
By Carrie Bunker
Veyo Pool & Crawdad Canyon is now open under new ownership. On July 10, the 91-year-old resort celebrated its success with the community at its official ribbon-cutting event. Guests were able to tour and see firsthand all the changes. Veyo Pool features many new updates, including a completely renovated pool with fun new features for kids, updated locker rooms, an expanded parking lot, free WiFi, and improved campground facilities.
“We are so excited to offer a new and improved experience at Veyo Pool & Crawdad Canyon,” said Sarah Salisbury, the new owner of Veyo Pool. “We’ve dedicated a considerable amount of time and resources to clean and update the property and facilities. Whether you come to cool off at the pool, catch crawdads in the river, go rock climbing, or stay in our campground, we’re confident you’ll notice a big difference in how the property looks and functions today. We’re also committed to continuing to update our property because we have always been and want to continue being a beautiful, popular attraction for all southern Utahans to enjoy.”
The resort is located in a wooded basalt rock canyon just minutes north of St. George. As an oasis in the desert, summer temperatures are typically 12–15 degrees cooler in the canyon than in St. George. The swimming pool is fed by a natural spring that flows directly from the earth into the pool at a comfortable 87 degrees. The resort is also home to over 250 bolted rock-climbing routes, crawdad catching, hiking, and camping.
The history of this southern Utah getaway began in 1927 when James and Caroline Cottam finished the first iteration of the Veyo Pool. The resort’s beautiful scenery and cooler temperatures quickly attracted visitors. Many young romances started at Veyo Pool’s BBQs and dances. For decades, the canyon surrounding the pool was largely unutilized until Jim and Susan Bosse purchased the property in 1995. They transformed the canyon walls into the first privately owned outdoor rock climbing park in the nation. The Bosses teamed up with prolific rock climber Todd Goss to create climbing routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 (beginner) to 5.13 (expert). Each climbing route features a bronze identification plaque with the route’s name, the difficulty rating, and the name of the climber who created the route.
The Bossees expanded the resort’s offerings with campground facilities and crawdad catching in the river, which runs through the property. In 1998, Jim Bosse passed away, leaving his wife, Susan, as the sole owner. Later, she married Morris Attwell, and they remained owners until Sarah and Joe Salisbury purchased the property in May 2017. The Salisburys learned that the resort was for sale and shortly thereafter purchased it in an effort to keep the historic destination open to the public.
“Veyo Pool & Crawdad Canyon is a meaningful place for locals as well as tens of thousands of tourists who visit the resort each year from all around the world,” said Joe Salisbury. “After learning of the rich history the canyon and pool have helped create, we were inspired to acquire and renovate the property and business and keep it open to the public. We are excited to oversee this historic transformation of the property and continue the tradition of this amazing venue.”
The onsite restaurant is known for many signature dishes. People regularly travel from as far as Cedar City and Las Vegas just to eat at the restaurant. Pronto Pups, Veyo Pie Shakes, and signature burgers are all part of the extensive menu offered at the restaurant.
Company parties, church groups, schools, and family reunions are among the various groups who frequent Veyo Pool & Crawdad Canyon. The resort now offers birthday party and company event packages. Group rates are available upon request.
Canyon access passes provide all-day access to the spring-fed pool, crawdad catching, hiking, and picnicking. The canyon opens daily at 9 a.m. and pool hours are noon–8 p.m. For pricing and additional information visit veyopool.com.
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