Little Jamaica, also known as Desert Springs or Littlefield Springs, was for years one of the most beloved little swimming holes in the Arizona Strip, a surprising desert oasis along the Virgin River near Littlefield, Arizona, about a 30-minute drive from St. George. A short quarter-mile walk led to a man-made pool fed by a warm mountain spring, with small waterfalls trickling through a lush pocket of green in the stark desert landscape. It earned its nickname for that unexpectedly tropical feel, and it was a favorite quick escape for students and families from St. George and Mesquite.

The important thing to know now is that Little Jamaica is closed. As of May 2022, the Arizona Department of Transportation closed off access to the area below where the man-made pool sat, and the swimming hole itself appears to have been dismantled. If you've come across older guides or videos showing the oasis and its waterfalls, this is the update that matters: it is no longer an open, accessible destination, and the pool that made it special is gone.

We're keeping this listing to make that status clear rather than to send anyone down to a closed site. Please respect the ADOT closure and do not trespass to reach it. Beyond the access issue, the setting always carried its own hazards, slippery, algae-slicked rock around the spring and pool, and the closure removes any safe, legal way to enjoy it.

The history is worth remembering fondly. Fed by a genuine mountain spring emerging into a built pool along the Virgin River, Little Jamaica was a rare desert water feature, cool and green amid red rock and creosote, close enough to the freeway to be an easy after-class or after-work stop. For a long time it was one of those word-of-mouth local treasures that made the Arizona Strip feel full of secrets.

For visitors still hoping to find water in this corner of the desert, the wider region offers legitimate, open alternatives: the developed and dispersed recreation along the Virgin River Gorge, the water features and parks around St. George and Mesquite, and the many open swimming and hiking spots of nearby southern Utah. Seeking those out is a far better plan than making the trip to a dismantled, closed site.

Treat Little Jamaica as a closed chapter, a fondly remembered desert oasis that is, for now, off the map. Respecting the closure is the right call, and it keeps the focus on the many places in the region that are still open, still watered, and still worth the drive.