Some people refer to this small town nestled among the red rocks as “the next Moab,” with its proximity to Southern Utah’s national parks and its beautiful rugged landscape that’s just perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. But I’ve also seen it referred to as “the next Sedona,” with its similar copper-colored cliffs, vegan-friendly restaurants, and diverse group of people who come here to visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Angel Canyon (see my next blog post for more info about this incredible sanctuary!).
Either way, Kanab seems like a gorgeous wonderland to me, and after four days here, I didn’t want to leave. My favorite part of our adventures in and around Kanab (pop. 4,700) was visiting Red Canyon/Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon, just 10 minutes from the downtown area of Kanab. Luckily, we had a four-wheel drive truck that made the bumpy and sandy road to the slot canyon passable. Once we arrived and started walking through the narrow sandstone passageways of the slot canyon, I was in awe. They say this particular slot canyon is second only to Antelope Canyon in Arizona, and I can see why! It was truly one of the most memorable travel and nature experiences I’ve had.
Since Kanab was experiencing a heat-wave during our visit, we headed up the mountain to Dixie National Forest, stopping in cute tiny towns and quirky roadside attractions along the way. I loved The Rock Stop in Orderville, which used to be a dinosaur museum and is now a rock and gem store with a little coffee shop and lovely patio with beautiful views of the mountains.
Once we had our fill of the forest, we went back to Kanab for a (mostly) air-conditioned visit to the Kanab Heritage House, and had a free tour to learn about the history of the area, from the Mormon settlers who came here in the mid-1800s to why Utah is called The Beehive State. I also stopped in a cute metaphysical crystal shop that had Sedona vibes all over it!
One of my favorite quirky attractions was our visit to Moqui Cave: Museum of Ancient History. Not only was it one of the most unique places I’ve been in, but it was a refreshing natural 65 degrees inside! We loved all the rocks, fossils and geodes, as well as learning more about prehistoric history—and there were real fossilized dinosaur tracks (and fossilized dinosaur poop!) inside.
Going from the refreshing cave museum to the wind-swept coral-colored sand dunes was quite the experience. At Coral Pink Sand Dunes Conservation Area, we climbed the dunes and walked barefoot in the pink sand. The views were worth almost getting blown away!
Another popular attraction near Moqui Cave and Best Friends is the Sand Caves, which requires a hike up a steep cliff that I wasn’t brave enough to go, but my husband had no problem with it! He experienced amazing views, but especially loved seeing all curvatures and colors inside the caves as he waved to me from above.
As for vegan food in Kanab, there were surprisingly several options for a small desert town. Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen is a completely vegetarian restaurant that had three plant-based burgers to choose from, as well as numerous pizzas and decadent desserts (including the incredible vegan carrot cake)! Rockin V Cafe is a popular restaurant with several vegan options as well (including a fabulous vegan burger, The Happy Planet) and I loved the artsy atmosphere and historic building. Wild Thyme Cafe has a delicious vegan curry dish, and both Wild Thyme and Rockin V had yummy vegan chocolate mousse.
But one of my favorite parts of the trip was talking to the locals–mostly people who have moved to Kanab within the past few years–who tell me that the long-time locals aren’t always happy about the changes happening in Kanab. I can see how change would be hard, but I hope they realize that with this change comes more awareness of their sweet little desert town, and the happiness it brings to visitors who stop to admire its natural wonders.
