This Tiny Desert City Is An Underrated Gateway To Utah's Most Impressive Attractions

Kanab, Utah may be a small and relatively unknown western town. But it packs a mean punch in the scenery department and provides easy access to some of the most iconic wilderness areas in the U.S., including Bryce and Zion National Parks. The town, which some refer to as "Utah's best kept secret," is not only situated in the heart of red rock country but also offers plenty of small-town charm, some wonderful restaurants, and a few really cool things to do.

Fascinatingly, the town is known as "Little Hollywood" because it served as the backdrop for movies and TV shows in the early to mid-1900s, starting with the film "Deadwood Coach" in 1924 and going on to include many other famous western-themed movies, as well as popular TV series like "The Lone Ranger" and "Lassie." Kanab visitors interested in learning more about the town's filmmaking history and viewing some of the movie sets can do so at the free Little Hollywood Museum on the west side of town.

Also located in Kanab is the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a must visit for animal lovers. Spread over 3,300 acres of red rock desert just under seven miles north of downtown, the no-kill sanctuary provides a home for around 1,600 cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, horses, pigs, parrots, and other animals. Visitors can tour its magical grounds, take an animal on a walk or outing, volunteer at the sanctuary for a day (or more), or adopt a pet to call their very own.

While the town itself is definitely worth a visit, most people pass through on a road trip to Bryce, Zion, and the other Mighty Five national parks. Drive an hour and twenty minutes northeast from Kanab to reach Bryce National Park, where you'll be mesmerized by rows of rock spires that go on and on for as far as the eye can see. While this park is always stunning, it's especially spectacular in winter, when the red rock is dusted with white snow, making the colors look more vivid. A half hour's drive west of Kanab is Zion National Park, which has the same rusting sedimentary rock but in a completely different configuration. At Zion, the red and cream colored rock takes the form of sheer cliffs that rise up thousands of feet, forming deep narrow chasms in some places that hikers can explore.

It's tempting to focus only on the big-name parks while in this part of Utah, but don't ignore the nearby lesser-known wilderness areas, especially if you want to avoid the crowds. One such place is the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, which is only a 30-minute drive from Kanab. Camille Johnson Taylor of the Kane County Office of Tourism told My Utah Parks that this is place, which resembles an enormous sandbox, "brings out the kid in all of us." To really indulge your inner kid, rent a sand sled from the state park office and go ride the dunes.

In addition, other spectacular areas lie south of Kanab, just over the border between Utah and Arizona. One of these is none other than the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which can be reached by driving south from Kanab for about an hour and a half. While this lesser-known national park destination has fewer amenities than the South Rim, it also has about 10% of the visitors, meaning a more peaceful and authentic wilderness experience. The North Rim is also about 1,000 feet higher than the South Rim with a richer variety of vegetation, creating unparalleled views, especially in autumn when the trees along the rim are ablaze with color. If you plan on visiting the North Rim, note that you can only do so from mid-May through mid-October, when the roads are sure to be free from snow. 

If you drive about four hours east of Kanab, you'll arrive at a huge body of water that's smack dab the middle of the desert. No, this is not a mirage, it's Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the U.S. If you enjoy water-based activities (e.g., boating, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding) or land-based ones (e.g., hiking, canyoneering, four-wheeling) with great views of the water, this is a fantastic place to hang out for a few days. If nothing else, after all that hot desert driving, at least cool off with a swim at Wahweap Beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Arizona.