🏜 25 Epic Things to Do in Kanab: Famous & Secret Spots (2024)

Kanab is best known as the home of The Wave lottery. Hiking to this incredible natural feature is hands down the best thing to do in Kanab, Utah.

Because of its popularity and delicate nature, permits are required to visit and are difficult to get. Each day, a lottery is held in Kanab with only 16 permits being issued to lucky winners beyond another handful that are issued in an online lottery in advance.

If you are planning a trip to Kanab, you can and should apply online for a once-in-a-lifetime chance at hiking to this modern world wonder.

Adventurous travelers will find a hike through the slender rock channel of Wirepass one of the best things to do in Kanab.

Wirepass Slot Canyon is an incredible narrow hallway within Buckskin Gulch.

At 15+ miles, it is the longest known slot canyon in the entire world!

Visitors not lucky enough to get a permit for The Wave should still make an effort to explore one of the best canyons in the US at Wirepass.

At no cost to you, we receive a small amount for any bookings made using the links below.

Just outside of Kanab is a short hike less than one mile long (0.8 to be exact) to one of the most fascinating landscapes in the Southwest, as well as amazing dark night skies.

The Toadstool Hoodoos are a collection of aptly-named and overlooked geological wonders that most visitors pass right by.

Located about 40 minutes outside of the city of Kanab, a star-filled trip to this enchanted desert is one of the best things to do in Kanab by any measure.

Just outside of Kanab is a special place where adults can find that childlike joy in playing in the sand.

Put these are not just any old sand dunes; these are the Coral Pink Sand Dunes!

While the color is admittedly more orange than pink, it does glow a most unusual hue that seems to change with the fading light.

Motor enthusiasts love the dunes for their soft landing and forgiving surface, but the best thing to do here is to grab a sand board and sled down the steepest slope you can find!

Zion National Park is the most famous, most visited National Park of Utah’s “Mighty 5.” Taking at least a day trip to this paradise of unspeakable beauty is an absolute essential for your Kanab itinerary.

From Kanab, the East Entrance is only a 30-minute drive!

Be sure to arrive as early as possible to avoid lines and find parking, and bring your parks pass!

Just north of Kanab is one of the most popular and famous slot canyons in Utah: The “Peek-a-Boo” Slot Canyon.

Reaching this incredible underworld requires either a long, hot hike through exposed desert, or a fun UTV ride!

As the Utah desert can be unforgiving and the day trips are so fun, we highly recommend going with a UTV tour.

This is truly one of the best things to do in Kanab as it allows you to see one of the best slot canyons in Utah while also getting to motor around with local experts.

Continuing north to Carmel Junction, you may notice some strange holes in the canyon walls as you near the halfway point.

While they don’t look like much from the roadside, the colors and layout of these hidden caves known as the Moqui Caverns or Moqui Sand Caves are absolutely incredible to witness.

Be aware that the hike is very short, but VERY steep. It should only be attempted by physically fit individuals with proper footwear.

The Belly of the Dragon looks like a spooky, mythological cave. It is a fun scene to photograph and worth stopping on your way to Zion or Bryce NPs.

In fact, the cave you will find was originally constructed as water drainage for Highway 89.

While this project has long been abandoned, the Belly of the Dragon has become a thing to do near Kanab for visitors heading to the national parks nearby.

There is no hike required, though you will need to drop down a short distance to enter. Those with physical disabilities may struggle to enter the cave.

While most of the best things to do in Kanab revolve around hiking and nature, there is one particular place in town that every animal lover needs to visit.

The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary of its kind in the country. According to them, “Best Friends has become the heart of a collaborative no-kill movement, and a model for the future of animal welfare. “

On any given day, they are home to over 1600 animals! You can take a tour of the sanctuary, plan to volunteer, take an animal on an outing, or even have a sleepover.

Anyone traveling to or through Kanab will enter the massive area which falls within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

This massive region occupies most of the desert between Page, AZ, and Kanab, UT.

Out in this colorful desert lie some of the most spectacular painted landscapes, delicate arches, slot canyons, hoodoos, and generally stunning scenery.

You could spend a lifetime exploring its secrets and still would not have found all of the hidden gems lurking throughout.

Speaking of hidden gems, Bucktank Draw is one of the best things to do in Kanab that no one knows about.

Like much of the region, Bucktank Draw is comprised of striped sandstone that has been carefully carved by wind, sand, rain, and ice.

What makes this area so special is that there are no signs, permits, or restrictions.

For now, it remains mostly unknown. This means dark skies excellent for stargazing and rarely a soul in sight!

Just across the state border is one of the most incredible cities in the entire US; it is truly the gem of the American Southwest.

Page is home to the most famous photography and tourist destinations in Arizona with the Antelope Slot Canyons and Horseshoe Bend.

While this is not technically in Kanab, the drive is only a little over an hour between them and this is a place you simply cannot skip if visiting Southern Utah.

Find the complete guide with 25 Epic Things to Do in Page here, or book a tour of the famous Antelope Slot Canyons using the button below.

*Note: Tours are the ONLY way to visit these special Navajo sites*

While Arizona’s sandstone slots get most of the attention, Utah is actually home to more slot canyons than any other place in the known world.

Among the hundreds scattered throughout, Red Hollow Canyon is one of the most accessible and photogenic of them all.

You will find this surprisingly incredible display near the small town of Orderville located on the drive between Bryce Canyon and Zion NP and less than an hour from Kanab.

No one needs to be sold on the grandeur of Grand Canyon National Park; it is, after all, one of the official Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

What most people don’t realize, however, is how incredible the North Rim section of the park is. In fact, the vast majority of park enthusiasts who have visited both prefer the North Rim to the South for views, crowds, and peak season climate.

Time permitting, plan a day away from Kanab for the short(ish) drive south. While it is not exactly next door, Kanab is the closest city to the North Rim Entrance.

WANT TO VISIT? READ OUR
GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM COMPLETE GUIDE

Another one that is technically in Page but just too incredible not to mention, Horseshoe Bend has to be included on any Southwest road trip that stops at Kanab.

Though incredible any time of day, a sunset visit to this iconic sight makes for an extra special moment… and photo!

Horseshoe Bend is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area but the parking is monitored by the Navajo tribes, meaning your parks pass will not get you into this one!

Much like Grand Staircase-Escalante, the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument protects a large expanse of desert between Kanab and Page.

Some of the monument’s best features are visible from the road side, including the physics-defying Balanced Rocks.

While this is not worthy of a trip from Kanab by itself, it is definitely worth including on a day trip to Page from Kanab.

The water oasis now known as Pipe Spring National Monument has been an important place to the desert dwellers that have called this place home for thousands of years, including human, animal, and plant life.

This preserve protects the important natural resources, but also the history of the region. It has remnants and stories of its earliest settlers including American Indians, Mormon ranchers, and beyond.

While Pipe Spring National Monument is not going to provide a lot of landscape photo ops, it is one of the best things to do in Kanab for those with an interest in the rich history of the great American Southwest.

If you have never been canyoneering before but are looking for adventurous things to do in Kanab, a guided trip to the secret Elkheart Slot Canyon (aka Huntress Slot Canyon) should be at the top of your list!

Hidden in a remote section of desert near Carmel Junction, a colorful canyon with narrow walls awaits visitors prepared to climb, crawl, scale, and shimmy their way through the cascading tunnel.

What could be better than escaping the scorching hot Southern Utah temperatures with a day at the beach?

As so many of the best things to do in Kanab require long hikes in hot temperatures, taking some time to relax on Lone Rock Beach at Lake Powell is a welcome alternative.

Lake Powell is located within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area so, once again, be sure to bring your parks pass!

The Moqui Cave has become a Southern Utah landmark. This family-owned and operated historic roadside attraction has been teaching travelers about the rich history of the Native American tribes who once called this region home for decades.

Those looking for things to do near Kanab with a historical and cultural context will find no better place than this.

The Chamberlain family has created a piece of living history at Moqui Cave that is worth looking into on your way to or from Kanab.

The beautiful movie set of Johnson Canyon provided an idyllic Western setting for over 600 shows and movies, the most famous being Gunsmoke.

By day, this old stage still delights visitors with a serene setting and fun old prop buildings.

At night, however, the spooky remains of this fictional town have become a real-life ghost town destination for the superstitious.

From the ground, Big Water may not look like much.

At the right time of day and with a bit of aerial perspective, however, the blue earth and golden hills at Big Water are nothing short of mind-blowing!

The town of Big Water is barely on the map and provides very limited services. It is located a little over halfway to Page from Kanab along Hwy 89.

The Wahweap Overlook provides a picnic area with an unbeatable view of the green and orange landscape of Lake Powell below.

If you don’t have the time or interest to visit the lake itself, at least be sure to stop by this impressive vista on your way to Page.

Most visitors get caught up in the fame of Zion National Park, never realizing that the best state park in all of Utah is located just a bit beyond it.

Snow Canyon State Park is home to a dozen incredible, diverse natural features that should be on every photographer and outdoor lovers’ itinerary. These include lava tubes, slot canyons, petroglyphs, and most notably, petrified sand dunes!

Thinking about adding this amazing stop to you to-do list? Be sure to read our COMPLETE GUIDE TO SNOW CANYON STATE PARK so you don’t miss a thing on your visit.

Lees Ferry Landing provides sweet relief with a cool fresh-water river for swimming.

It is also the launch point for those planning to raft through the Grand Canyon.