13 Fun Things to do in Kanab Utah (Sand Caves, Slot Canyons)
If Utah or any of its mighty 5 national parks have been on your bucket list for U.S. vacations, make sure you stop in Kanab Utah as you explore Southern Utah.
Kanab is an extremely overlooked and under-rated town in Southern Utah, which is why now is a great time to go before the secret gets out!
There are so many fun things to do in Kanab, Utah from hiking the epic slot canyons, sand sledding, ATVing, and visiting any of the 3 nearby national parks.
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About Kanab, UT
Things to do in Kanab Utah
Kanab Utah Restaurants
Packing Essentials for Kanab
Kanab Utah Hotels
Camping in Kanab Utah
Why Visit Kanab, Utah
Kanab Utah is famous for its central location to some of the countries best national parks and slot canyons. Kanab is a must-visit if you plan to visit Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon or the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Additionally, Kanab is home to its own towering slot canyons, The Wave hike, and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Best Time to Visit Kanab
While the weather in Kanab, Utah is favorable all year round, I would suggest visiting Kanab in the spring or fall so you can visit all the places on the list I have outlined below.
Parts of Bryce Canyon and the entire North Rim of the Grand Canyon close in winter and spring due to snowfall. Summer is also a great time to visit, you will just be around a lot more tourists when visiting the national parks.
Best Things to do in Kanab, Utah
1) Visit Kane County Visitor Center
First things first, do not miss out on the visitor center in Kanab.They have detailed brochures and maps for every hike within a 3 hours radius.
The staff is extremely helpful and will tell you all the secret hikes, tips to getting a permit to The Wave, or just their favorite local diners.
They also have great displays inside with the geological history of how Southern Utah came to be.
2) Explore the Sand Caves in Kanab
The Sand Caves are a man-made sandstone cave located 5 miles north of Kanab right off highway 89. It is a short, yet fun hike up to this unique cavern.
The best time to go to get the beautiful light shining into the caves is an hour or two before the sun goes down.
Make sure you are on the trail for The Sand Caves and not Moqui Cave, they are located right next to each other.
3) Walk into the Belly of the Dragon
Belly of the Dragon is a man-made cave that was originally made to be a water passage under the highway, that is why the cave has a beautiful rippling effect.
It is a short and quick walk through the cave, but it is worth seeing! We took our dog here too.
It is about a 15 minute drive north of downtown Kanab and make sure to use google maps to find the correct parking area and trailhead.
4) Hike Diana’s Throne Slot Canyon
Diana’s Throne Slot Canyon is our favorite slot canyon in Kanab! It is a great family-friendly hiking adventure to view amazing and free slot canyons.
I found most people are here to ride their ATVs on the local trails and not go into the slot canyons.
Make sure to view the All Trails listing because you will need to walk through the ATV trails before accessing the slot canyon trail.
Unless you have canyoneering equipment, you will need to hike the counterclockwise direction and will only be able to access half the trail before turning back, but the first half is still worth seeing and exploring!
5) Visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary for homeless animals in the country.
Home to over 1,600 homeless animals ranging from dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, horses, pigs, goats, mules, sheep, burros, and much more!
They offer adoptions, visits to see/play with the animals, housing, or short term volunteer programs.
If you want to just visit to see the animals, they offer free, 90 minute tours every day at 8:30am, 10am, 1pm, and 2:30pm. Make sure to schedule your tour here.
6) Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Distance: 25 min drive from Kanab
Coral Pink Sand Dunes is 20 miles west of Kanab towards Zion National Park.
The rolling waves of red are open to walkers and hikers, although there are few established trails.
There are tons of things to do there like sand boarding, ATVing, slot canyons and hiking. I recommend renting boards to try out sand boarding!
7) Visit Zion National Park
Distance: 40 min drive from Kanab
Zion National Park is one of the most visited parks in the United States.
Personally, Zion is one of my top three favorite national parks and if there is one national park you must visit while staying in Kanab, it needs to be Zion National Park!
There is so much to do in Zion from, the iconic Narrows hike through the Virgin River, hiking the deathly cliffs of Angels Landing, or just wondering through the 146 acres of pristine landscape full of waterfalls and steep red cliffs.
It is full of jaw-dropping beauty even if you’re not a hiker and want to just drive through the park.
There has been a lot of updates to the park since Covid—19 so be sure to check our complete 2-day guide to Zion National Park for all the ins and outs of the park and the spots you cannot miss.
8) Visit Grand Canyon - North Rim
Distance: 1 hr and 40 min drive from Kanab
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is a rare sight for most people.
With only 1/10th of the Grand Canyon’s total 6 million yearly visitors actually visiting the North Rim, it is a true hidden-gem that you should visit, even if for just one full day!
Be sure to check out this complete one day guide to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for the ultimate hiker’s guide and must-see sites when you visit.
9) Bryce Canyon National Park
Distance: 1 hr and 30 min drive from Kanab
Bryce Canyon was one of those parks that completely blew away my expectations!
The hoodoos are so unique, especially if you go in the late fall or winter when the hoodoos are covered in a thin blanket of snow!
I wasn’t expecting so many huge pine trees either. The red rock and lush forest complimented each other so uniquely and perfectly. Bryce Canyon is something not to be missed!
It is possible to see a good amount of the park in one full day, especially with our guide to Must-See places in Bryce Canyon National Park.
10) Hike to The Wave
Distance: 1 hr drive to the trailhead from Kanab
The Wave is the iconic hike in the Vermillion Cliffs area where the sandstone has literally created a beautiful multi-colored wave formation.
It is the most sought-after and toughest-to-access spots in the region because of the limited number of permits issued.
With that said, I do think it is still worth trying to win the ticket. You can view more info on recreation.gov.
11) Take a tour to Coyote Buttes South
Distance: 1 hr and 20 min drive to the trailhead from Kanab
Now if you are not feeling lucky, but still want to see some iconic sandstone formations similar to The Wave then I recommend getting a permit for Coyotes Buttes South!
When we went to try and win the lottery tickets for The Wave we were unsuccessful, but we did get tickets for Coyotes Buttes South and I think it may be even better!
Most people don’t even know about this hidden gem and it has multiple unique sandstone formations, instead of just one.
It even has “The South Wave” and your dog can hike in here with you.
I’ve written an in-depth guide about Coyote Buttes South that you’ll want to read before going.
12) Wirepass Trail in the Buckskin Gulch
Distance: 1 hr drive to the trailhead from Kanab
Wirepass trail is know as the best 3.7mi portion of trail located within the Buckskin Gulch because of its iconic towering walls and beautiful formations.
Buckskin Gulch is the longest slot canyon in the Southwestern U.S. and could well be the longest and deepest in the world, according to the Utah tourism website.
Don't forget- slot canyons are extremely prone to flash flooding, and hikers should never venture into Buckskin Gulch when rain is in the forecast.
13) Visit Lake Powell & Horseshoe Bend
Distance: 1 hr drive to Page, AZ from Kanab
Lake Powell, is the second largest human-made lake in the United States, and is widely recognized as one of the premier boating destinations in the world.
Page, Arizona is the closest town to Kanab where you can enter into Lake Powell and is also home to the infamous Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend (seen in the photo here).
Lake Powell is a crystal clear body of water framed by what many consider to be the most breathtaking landscape on earth.
Best Restaurants in Kanab
Big Al's Burgers at The Junction
Big Al’s quickly became our favorite diner in Kanab! We love trying out burgers and shakes in every small town we visit and Big Al’s did not disappoint!
I mean we came here 4 times in one week. Unless you’re vegan, this is a must do in Kanab!
Kanab Creek Bakery
The best pastry and coffee house in Kanab is definitely Kanab Creek Bakery. They source all their ingredients as local as possible and bake fresh daily.
The dog-friendly patio is also a great place to use WIFI and catch up on work.
Where to Stay in Kanab Utah
There are plenty of hotels in downtown Kanab, UT or you can check out these VRBO listings as well.
Kanab Utah RV Parks:
There are four RV parks in the main town square of Kanab all well reviewed and reasonably priced between $35-$50/night.
Free Camping in Kanab, UT
We boondocked in our RV at Old Highway 89 Dispersed Camping, just North of Kanab and absolutely loved it! Easy to get our fifth wheel into, good cell service for Verizon, and phenomenal views!
There are a few more free spots closer to town but they were in the midst of the red sand and I’m not a fan of having that fine red dirt covered all over our rig.
I would suggest avoiding the Hancock Road dispersed camping as it is not big-rig friendly and we got stuck pretty bad out there.
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