Kanab: Slot Canyons and 'Little Hollywood'
Kanab from St. George: about ninety minutes to Little Hollywood, and the gateway to dunes, slot canyons and permit-only country.
Kanab sits about ninety minutes east of St. George, and its value is mostly as a gateway — it is surrounded by more remarkable country than almost any town its size.
The town itself
Kanab has a genuine claim to fame: it was used so heavily by Hollywood for Westerns that it became known as Little Hollywood. The film heritage is visible around the town and is worth an hour.
Beyond that it is a small, pleasant base with the services you need before heading into country that has none.
What it gives you access to
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park — pink sand, deep enough to sink into, with machines on one half and quiet on the other.
The Grand Staircase–Escalante country — see Escalante and the Grand Staircase.
Slot canyons, including several accessible ones in the surrounding area.
The Grand Canyon North Rim, which is reachable from here — remembering that it closes for the winter.
Page and Lake Powell, further east.
The permit-only country
This area contains some of the most restricted access in the American Southwest.
The Wave, in Coyote Buttes North, is the famous one — a small number of daily permits allocated by lottery, with demand hugely exceeding supply. The system is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the details change.
Plan on not getting one. Most applicants do not, and a trip built around the assumption is a trip built on a lottery ticket. Have alternatives ready — the surrounding country is full of them.
Day trip or overnight?
A day works if the town plus one nearby site is the plan.
A night makes more sense if you want slot canyons, the dunes, or anything needing an early start and a permit. The surrounding sites are spread out, and the driving between them adds up quickly.
Practical
- Fuel and supplies in Kanab before heading into the surrounding country, which is genuinely empty.
- Dirt roads serve many of the best sites, and conditions change after rain. Check locally, and be honest about your vehicle.
- Summer is severe in the low country here. See desert hiking safety.
- Time zone confusion is common near the Arizona border, since Arizona largely does not observe daylight saving while Utah does. Check what time a tour or permit actually starts.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Kanab?
It works best as a base rather than a destination in itself. The town has a genuine film history — it was used so heavily by Hollywood that it became known as Little Hollywood — and it sits within reach of Coral Pink Sand Dunes, the Grand Staircase country, slot canyons and the permit-only areas beyond. Most visitors come for what surrounds it rather than the town, though the film heritage is worth an hour.
How do the Wave permits work?
The Wave, in Coyote Buttes North, is one of the most restricted places in the American Southwest — access is by lottery with a very small number of daily permits, and demand hugely exceeds supply. The system is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the details change, so consult them directly. Plan on not getting one, and have alternatives ready, because most applicants do not.
Is Kanab a good day trip or an overnight?
At about an hour and a half it is a comfortable day trip if the town and one nearby site are the plan. If you want the slot canyons, the dunes or anything requiring a permit and an early start, a night makes far more sense — the surrounding country is spread out and the driving between sites adds up quickly.