Located in southern Utah right next to the Arizona border you’ll find the tiny adventure town of Kanab. Kanab is one of my favorite places to visit in southern Utah because there are seemingly endless opportunities for outdoor adventures. This article shares 15 of the best things to do in Kanab, Utah, to help you plan an adventure-packed trip!
In my opinion, Kanab is often overlooked in favor of bigger and trendier towns around southern Utah, but it’s a great area to visit if you’re looking to get off the beaten path, or if you’re traveling with a dog. Most of the activities in this guide are free, however there are a few places that require permits or entrance fees.
To get to Kanab, I recommend flying into Las Vegas and renting a high-clearance, 4WD vehicle (you’re gonna need it for a few locations in this guide). It’s a roughly 3 hour drive from Las Vegas to Kanab, passing through St. George along the way. There’s plenty to see and do around Kanab, so I think it’s worth a trip of its own, but you can also easily add it to a southern Utah/Southwest road trip.
Watch It: 5 of the Most Epic Things to Do in Kanab, Utah
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Table of Contents: Best Things to Do in Kanab, Utah
- Watch the Sunset at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- See Dinosaur Tracks
- Visit the Sand Caves
- Drive to Peekaboo Slot Canyon
- Photograph the Great Chamber
- Try to Get Permits for the Wave
- Hike the Longest Slot Canyon in the World: Buckskin Gulch
- Go 4×4 Driving in Hogs Canyon
- Hike to the Toadstool Hoodoos
- Stay at the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile
- Hike Red Hollow Slot Canyon
- See the Belly of the Dragon
- Day Trip to Zion National Park
- Day Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park
- Grab Dinner at Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen
Recreating Responsibly in Kanab
Before I dive into the best things to do in Kanab, it’s important to take some time to discuss how to recreate responsibly while visiting the area. Adventuring in the desert comes with some special considerations in terms of staying safe and minimizing your environmental impact. Here are some tips on how you can recreate responsibly while exploring Kanab, Utah:
Leave No Trace
The 7 Leave No Trace principles provide guidance to help you minimize your impact when hiking or exploring outdoors. The 7 principles include:
- Plan ahead & prepare. Hiking in the desert comes with unique considerations, so make sure you research your adventure, carry enough water and a map, and dress appropriately.
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces. Stay on trails or other durable surfaces like developed trails, slickrock, sand dunes, and washes.
- Dispose of waste properly. Pack out all waste and trash, including food scraps, pet waste, and human waste.
- Leave what you find. Don’t carve into, take, or stack rocks or other natural objects.
- Minimize campfire impacts. Check for fire bans and practice campfire safety. This means creating your campfire in existing fire rings; making sure the fire is attended and doesn’t get out of control; and making sure the fire is out completely (stir the ashes until they are cool to the touch).
- Respect wildlife. Never feed wildlife. Make sure to maintain a safe distance from wildlife.
- Be considerate of others. Wear headphones instead of blasting music over a bluetooth speaker. Remember uphill hikers have the right of way.
The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.
Don’t bust the crust!
A lot of the desert environment around Kanab is covered in biological soil crust, otherwise known as cryptobiotic soil. Cryptobiotic soil plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy desert ecosystem because it helps prevent erosion. It’s also very delicate and can take years to decades to recover from damage. This is why it’s important to stay on developed trails, or travel over durable surfaces like dry washes or slickrock, to avoid disrupting the cryptobiotic soil!
Stay Slot Canyon Safe
Before you head out on a slot canyon hike, it’s important to be prepared and know the risks of exploring slot canyons. All of the slot canyon suggestions in this guide are non-technical slot canyons. This means that you do not need canyoneering gear, like ropes, a harness, and helmet, to navigate through them.
Be aware, flash floods are incredibly dangerous and can be triggered from rain MILES away from where you’re hiking. Even if there are blue skies above you, if you see storm clouds in the distance or rain is in the forecast anywhere in the vicinity, you should avoid entering a slot canyon. Flash floods are usually most common during monsoon season in the summer, but can occur any time of year.
The Best Things to Do in Kanab, Utah
1. Watch the Sunset at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Undoubtedly the best place to watch the sunset in Kanab is at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. There are no official hiking trails at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, rather you’re free to explore the dunes at your leisure. Be forewarned, hiking through sand is tough, but you can find some gorgeous views without going too far from the parking lot. You can also rent a sandboard in town to make the experience more enjoyable.
In addition to hiking, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park also has 1,200 acres of dunes open to OHV’ing. You can either bring your own vehicle, rent a side-by-side in Kanab, or go on a tour. There’s also a campground inside of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park if you want to stay close by.
Cost: $15 per vehicle; $10 for Utah seniors 65 and older
2. See the Kanab Dinosaur Tracks
The Kanab dinosaur tracks are a can’t miss stop located right next to Highway 89. Getting up to the tracks requires a short, but steep hike that is well worth it to see well-preserved tracks from the Jurassic period.
There’s a parking lot located near the Port Authority check point that has plenty of spaces and a porta potty available. From the parking lot follow the well-marked trail as you wind your way up the side of a butte to the dinosaur tracks. The trail is well-defined and has plenty of trail markers along the way, but it does require a little bit of scrambling near the top.
When I visited most of the dinosaur tracks were outlined with little pebbles to make them easier to see. Please don’t touch or disturb the tracks in any way. It can be challenging to distinguish the tracks from natural grooves in the rock, but if you look carefully you can see quite a few distinct tracks.
Cost: FREE
Trail Stats for Kanab Dinosaur Tracks
- Trailhead Location: Google Maps
- Bathrooms?: There is a porta potty at the trailhead.
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Easy. It’s right next to the highway and there’s room for a decent number of vehicles. It’s a short hike, so people usually aren’t parked there long.
- Distance: ~1 mile out-and-back
- Elevation Gain: ~235 ft.
- Difficulty: Easy (2-3/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: 30-45 minutes
- Dog-friendly: Yes
- Best Time of Year?: Year-round
- AllTrails Link
3. Visit the Sand Caves
The Sand Caves are located 5 miles north of Kanab along Highway 89, not far from the Dinosaur Tracks. The Sand Caves are man-made from a past mining operation in the area, and make for a cool and photogenic area to explore today.
It’s a very short hike from the parking lot to get up to the caves, but be prepared for a little bit of scrambling to get up to the slickrock bench where the caves are located. There was a rope to make it easier when I visited, but as long as you wear shoes with good traction, like Altra Lone Peaks, you shouldn’t have any issues.
When you get to the caves you’ll see a TON of vandalism and graffiti. I’ve frankly never seen a location with so much vandalism (although there’s another spot in this guide that comes close…). If you visit, please recreate resposibly and don’t further contribute to the graffiti on the walls of the caves!
Cost: FREE
Trail Stats for Sand Caves
- Trailhead Location: Google Maps
- Bathrooms?: There is a porta potty at the trailhead.
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Easy. There’s a new, large parking lot at the trailhead. While it’s a popular destination, people come and go regularly, so you shouldn’t have issues finding a spot.
- Distance: ~1 mile out-and-back
- Elevation Gain: 120 ft.
- Difficulty: Very easy (1.5-2.5/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: 30-45 minutes
- Dog-Friendly?: Yes, there is a little scrambling required. Most dogs should be able to handle it, but small or older dogs may have trouble.
- Best Seasons to Hike: Year-round
- AllTrails Link
4. Drive to Peekaboo Slot Canyon
*HIGH-CLEARANCE, 4WD VEHICLE REQUIRED*
Not to be confused with Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons outside of Escalante, Utah, Peekaboo Slot Canyon (aka Red Canyon) outside of Kanab, is an easy hike through a scenic and non-technical slot canyon.
While the slot canyon hike is easy, the road to get out to Peekaboo Slot Canyon is EXTREMELY rough and sandy. It requires either a high-clearance, 4WD vehicle AND a driver who is comfortable driving in deep sand. You can also walk the road, which is roughly 8 miles roundtrip through deep sand, or hire a tour guide to take you out.
Once you make it out to the start of Peekaboo Slot Canyon, it’s a short and easy walk through the scenic canyon before reaching a pourover that would require some intense scrambling to get around. There’s a small ladder in the middle of Peekaboo Slot Canyon, which may be tough for dogs to navigate (it bypasses a ~4 ft. drop).
Want to learn more? Read my complete guide to exploring Peekaboo Slot Canyon.
Cost: FREE if you hike or use your own vehicle; $100+/person if renting a vehicle or taking a tour
Trail Stats for Peekaboo Slot Canyon
These are just the stats for the slot canyon, along with information about the main trailhead. If you’re hiking along the road it will add ~8 miles of sandy hiking round-trip.
- Trailhead Location: Google Maps (This is the staging area for the road out to Peekaboo Slot Canyon.)
- Road to the Trailhead: Extremely difficult. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS DRIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A HIGH-CLEARANCE 4WD VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN DEEP SAND.
- Bathrooms?: There are no bathrooms at the slot canyon, but there are pit toilets at the staging area before you start the drive out.
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Easy-moderate. Parking for Peekaboo Slot Canyon is located in a wash. There’s room for a good number of vehicles
- Distance: ~0.8 miles out-and-back
- Elevation Gain: 85 ft.
- Difficulty: Very easy (1.5-2.5/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: 30-45 minutes
- Dog-Friendly?: Yes. There is a short ladder in the middle of the canyon, but if you’re able to pick up your dog it’s not difficult to lift them up or down.
- Best Seasons to Hike: Fall, winter, early spring.
- AllTrails Link NOTE: This route includes the road out to Peekaboo Slot Canyon. There are a number of backroads in the area, so it’s important to have a map whether you’re hiking or driving!
5. Photograph the Great Chamber
*HIGH-CLEARANCE, 4WD VEHICLE REQUIRED*
The Great Chamber is a photogenic and off-the-beaten path destination near Kanab. Like Peekaboo Slot Canyon, getting out to the Great Chamber requires a long, sandy drive down a 4×4 road. If you don’t have the right vehicle or experience driving through sand, then I recommend hiring a tour guide to bring you out.
There are a ton of backroads in the Kanab area, so there are a few routes you can take to get out to the Great Chamber. I took the route that started at the Johnson Canyon trailhead. At the trailhead set your GPS to Cutler Point to be directed to the parking lot for the Great Chamber.
Once you park at Cutler Point it’s a short, but steep and VERY sandy trail up to the Great Chamber, which is a large rock alcove and sand dune. Hike down to the back wall and turn around for the best views! The alcove was formed by wind lashing at the sandstone walls over time, so be prepared to potentially encounter wind and get pelted with sand.
Cost: FREE if you take your own vehicle; $70-200+/person if you rent a vehicle or take a tour
Trail Stats for The Great Chamber
- Trailhead Location: Google maps
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Easy to find parking, but difficult to drive out.
- Distance: 0.5 mile (out-and-back)
- Elevation Gain: 145 ft.
- Difficulty: Easy (2.5-3.5/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: <1 hour
- Fee: None
- Dog-Friendly?: Yes
- Best Time of Year to Hike: Spring, fall, and winter
- AllTrails Link
7. Try to Get Permits for the Wave
Located in North Coyote Buttes, the Wave is one of the most highly sought after hiking destinations in the Southwest. In order to hike to the Wave you need to have a North Coyote Buttes permit, which are extremely difficult to get (I’ve applied and lost over a dozen times). Only 64 people are permitted to hike each day. There are 48 permit slots available in an advance lottery, and 16 permits allotted for the daily lottery, which is geofenced to the Kanab area.
The trailhead for the Wave is located along House Rock Road. The road can typically be driven by passenger cars, but may become impassable after rain. Since I’ve never been successful at snagging a permit, I can’t speak to the hike itself, but if and when I go I plan to get a pre-dawn start to catch the best light and spend as much time exploring the area as possible.
Advance Lottery: Submit your application 4 months in advance. You can select up to 3 dates during the month that the lottery is open for. You’ll be notified if you’re successful on the 1st of the following month after you apply.
Daily Lottery: Submit your application 2 days before the hiking date. You can only submit an application if you’re physically in the area. You’ll be notified if you win the same day. If successful you have to go into a BLM office the next day to pick up your permit.
Cost: $6 application fee + $7/person or dog if successful
7. Hike the Longest Slot Canyon in the World: Buckskin Gulch
Buckskin Gulch is the longest slot canyon in the world and one of the most iconic hikes in the Kanab area. You can reach it from a couple of different trailheads. The Buckskin Gulch Trailhead will take you on a long hike through the desert before reaching the Buckskin Gulch narrows. The Wire Pass Trailhead is a shorter approach that takes you through a side slot canyon before reaching the Buckskin Gulch slot canyon.
The Wire Pass route is considered to be more desirable because the approach is shorter and more scenic. There is a tall ladder that you have to climb down to get through the Wire Pass slot canyon. Supposedly, there’s a way to bypass the slot canyon and still get to Buckskin Gulch if you’re hiking with a dog, but I’ve never taken it so I can’t attest to its ease. Buckskin Gulch is 16 miles long, so once you’re in the canyon you can hike as far as you’d like for an out-and-back hike.
A day use pass is required in order to day hike Buckskin Gulch regardless of which trailhead you hike from, which you can get on rec.gov.
Cost: $6/person or dog
8. Go 4×4 Driving in Hogs Canyon
The Hog Canyon area is a network of backroads near Kanab that offer incredible views and 4×4 driving. If you want to explore the area in a side-by-side, this is a great place to go, especially at sunset. You get sweeping views that reach all the way out to Bryce Canyon as you wind your way through pinyon-juniper forest. My husband and I were able to navigate the backroads around Hog Canyon in a stock Chevy Colorado, but things got a little tight, so it’s definitely best driven in a SxS.
Cost: FREE, if you have your own vehicle
9. Hike to the Toadstool Hoodoos
The Toadstool Hoodoos Trail is a 40-minute drive from Kanab, but I think it’s worth the trip to see these unique rock formations. It’s a short and easy hike from the parking lot to an otherworldly landscape filled with funky geologic features. The trail packs a lot of bang for your buck in terms of views and cool features to explore, which makes it a great hike for families. Even though it’s a short trail, don’t forget water, especially during the summer!
Cost: FREE
Trail Stats for the Toadstools
- Trailhead Location: Google maps
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Moderate. The trailhead is right along the highway so it’s easy to access, but it’s a popular hike so it may be busy.
- Distance: 1.8 miles (out-and-back)
- Elevation Gain: 140 ft.
- Difficulty: Easy (1-2/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: <1 hour
- Dog-Friendly?: Yes
- Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round
- AllTrails Link
10. Stay at the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile
If you’re traveling to Kanab with pets then you have to stay at the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile. The Roadhouse and Mercantile is owned by the Best Friends Animal Society, which works to end the killing of shelter animals, so your stay helps to support a good cause. You can also stop by the nearby Best Friends Animal Sanctuary while you’re in the area.
There is so much attention to detail throughout the property and inside the rooms to make this the most pet-friendly hotel possible. Inside each room you’ll find a cat tower, as well as a trundle-style dog bed beneath the regular bed. Outside, you’ll find a large off-leash dog park with plenty of vegetation for shade during the summer months. The dog park also has a separate area for small dogs.
Cost: ~$150-230+/night depending on the time of year
11. Hike Red Hollow Slot Canyon
Red Hollow Slot Canyon is located in Orderville, which is only a 25-minute drive from Kanab. This is a great slot canyon hike if you’re looking for something short and easy that you can bring small children or dogs along.
You start the hike to Red Hollow Slot Canyon in a wash that slowly rises into a sinuous, narrow red sandstone slot canyon. Unfortunately, you can’t hike very far through the slot canyon before things become technical, but the section you can hike through is incredibly photogenic. Even though the trail is short, it’s one of my favorite hikes in southern Utah.
Cost: FREE
Trail Stats for Red Hollow Trail
- Trailhead Location: Google maps
- Trailhead Parking Difficulty: Moderate. Parking spaces are somewhat limited. There’s a lot of construction happening around the trailhead, so things may be different today.
- Distance: ~1 mile (out-and-back)
- Elevation Gain: 150 ft.
- Difficulty: Easy (2-3/10)
- Estimated Hike Time: <1 hour
- Fee: None
- Dog-Friendly?: Yes
- Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round
- AllTrails Link
12. See the Belly of the Dragon
I couldn’t put together a list of the best things to do in Kanab without including the Belly of the Dragon, although admittedly, this spot isn’t my fave. This is a popular stop that is right along Highway 89 north of Kanab. It’s essentially just a tunnel under the highway, and while you can get some cool photos, I think it’s a bit overrated. There is a TON of graffiti along the walls, and I honestly got really creepy vibes in the tunnel. With that said, it’s a quick stop if you’re already driving by and want to see a unique (and spooky) tunnel.
Location: Google Maps
Cost: FREE
13. Day Trip to Zion National Park
The East Entrance of Zion National Park is a little over 30 minutes away from Kanab, which makes it a great day trip destination when visiting the area. Hotel rooms in Springdale (the gateway town for Zion located near the South Entrance) are typically much pricier than in Kanab, so staying there is a great budget-friendly hack for visiting Zion.
If you make the trip to Zion from Kanab, then I highly recommend getting an early start. You’re going to enter the park from the East Entrance, which typically isn’t as crowded as the main entrance in Springdale, but parking is pretty limited throughout the park.
If you want to hike in Zion, I recommend choosing a trail on the East side of the tunnel, like the East Rim Trail or Observation Point, which starts outside of the park near the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. To do one of the popular hikes in Zion Canyon you’re going to have to drive all the way through the park to the Visitor Center to catch the shuttle.
Cost: $35/vehicle to enter Zion OR use an America the Beautiful pass
Check out my 3-day Zion National Park itinerary if you want more recommendations for things to do in Zion National Park!
14. Day Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is just under 90 minutes from Kanab, so it’s another great day trip destination. The drive from Kanab to Bryce Canyon takes you along Scenic Byway 12, which is one of my favorite scenic drive in southern Utah.
Once you get to Bryce Canyon I recommend driving the Southern Scenic Drive, which will take you through the most scenic areas of the park. There are a number of viewpoints along the scenic drive, including Natural Bridge and Ponderosa Canyon.
To spend a complete day in Bryce Canyon National Park, hike the Wall Street and Queens Garden trail. This is arguably the most scenic hike in the park, taking you down the iconic Wall Street switchbacks and through a scenic canyon filled with orange sandstone hoodoos.
Cost: $35/vehicle to enter Bryce Canyon OR use an America the Beautiful pass
15. Grab Dinner at Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen
There are a variety of great restaurants in Kanab, but after a day of adventuring I recommend heading to Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen. This Italian restaurant, located inside The Flagstone Boutique Inn & Suites, features a menu with exclusively vegetarian and vegan friendly options.
From artisanal wood-fired pizzas to creative salads and hearty entrees featuring plant-based proteins, this spot has something for everyone. I highly recommend getting the cinnamon bombs for dessert, which are essentially dough balls tossed in cinnamon sugar. My husband and I had plenty of food leftover after dining at Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen, which reheated nicely on our camp stove a few days later.
Cost: ~$20-30+/person
Where to Stay in Kanab, Utah:
- Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile (pet-friendly)
- La Quinta Kanab (pet-friendly)
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