The community lies on the Santa Clara River, northwest of the Red Mountains along local roads, northwest of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County.

[1] Although Gunlock is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 84733.

During a visit to the site later that year George Albert Smith (an LDS Church general authority) named the community in honor of its first settler.

In 1862, following severe flooding on the Santa Clara River at the community's former site, the original settlement was moved north to its present location.

After several renovations over more than a century since its completion, the second building now serves as the Gunlock town hall.