Things to Do in Kanab, Utah
Kanab’s biggest draw is The Wave — the surreal swirled-sandstone formation in Coyote Buttes North — but only 64 people a day get a permit through a competitive lottery, so the smarter play is to treat Kanab as a basecamp and build a trip around what you can do without one: sandboard the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, walk the Belly of the Dragon tunnel, and ride into Peekaboo (Red) slot canyon. Nicknamed “Little Hollywood” for the 100-plus Western films shot here, Kanab sits in far-southern Utah right on the Arizona line and is within roughly 40 minutes to 1.5 hours of Zion’s east side, Bryce, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, and Lake Powell — no other small town in the region puts that many landscapes in reach.
Prefer a guided trip? Book ATV and 4×4 slot-canyon tours, Coral Pink Sand Dunes rides, and Kanab-area day trips.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Belly of the Dragon
The two easiest, no-permit highlights are also two of the best. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, about 20 miles northwest of town, is a 3,730-acre field of coral-colored dunes at 6,000 feet — you can rent a sled or sandboard (around $25 for the day), hike the dunes, or take an ATV tour. Closer in, Belly of the Dragon is a short, flat man-made drainage tunnel about 15 minutes north on US-89 that opens into a slot-canyon-like passage; it’s a 10-minute walk and a local favorite for families and photographers.
The slot canyons and The Wave
Kanab is slot-canyon country. Peekaboo (Red) Canyon is the signature local slot — its narrow red corridors are reached by a high-clearance 4×4 or, more easily, a guided ATV tour out of town. The famous one, The Wave in Coyote Buttes North, straddles the Utah–Arizona border in the Vermilion Cliffs and is gated by a daily lottery that admits just 64 hikers; apply months ahead through the geographic lottery or try the daily lottery on-site, and have a backup plan because most applicants don’t win.
Little Hollywood, Best Friends, and the gateway trips
Kanab earned “Little Hollywood” by hosting more than 100 Western movies and TV shows; the free Little Hollywood Museum preserves original film sets. Just north of town, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country — runs free tours through Angel Canyon. And Kanab is purpose-built as a launchpad: Zion’s quieter east entrance is about 40 minutes, Bryce Canyon roughly 1.5 hours, the Grand Canyon North Rim about 1.5 hours, and Lake Powell near Page about an hour.
What most people get wrong: don’t build the trip around The Wave
The classic mistake is flying in assuming you’ll hike The Wave — then learning the permit is a lottery only 64 people clear each day, with odds often in the low single digits. Don’t anchor a Kanab trip to a permit you probably won’t get. Plan the visit around the no-permit experiences (Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Belly of the Dragon, Peekaboo slot, Best Friends) and treat a Wave permit as a bonus if it comes through. The second mistake is using Kanab as a one-night gas stop; with this many landscapes inside 90 minutes, it deserves two or three days as a hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kanab, Utah, known for?
Kanab is known as “Little Hollywood” for the 100-plus Western films shot nearby, and as the gateway town to The Wave, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, slot canyons, East Zion, and the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. It’s a basecamp for southern Utah and northern Arizona.
Do you need a permit for things to do in Kanab?
Only for The Wave (Coyote Buttes North), which requires a lottery permit limited to 64 people per day. Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Belly of the Dragon, the Little Hollywood Museum, and guided slot-canyon tours need no permit.
How many days should you spend in Kanab?
Two to three days lets you do the local highlights and still day-trip to Zion’s east side, Bryce, or the North Rim. A single night only works if Kanab is purely a stopover.
What is there to do near Kanab without hiking?
Sandboard or take an ATV tour at Coral Pink Sand Dunes, tour Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, visit the free Little Hollywood Museum, walk the short Belly of the Dragon tunnel, and drive the scenic stretches of US-89 toward Lake Powell.
Is Kanab worth visiting?
Yes — few towns its size sit within 90 minutes of Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon North Rim, and Lake Powell while also having standout local sights like The Wave and Coral Pink Sand Dunes. It’s one of the best basecamps in the Southwest.
Keep planning your trip: 7-Day Utah Road Trip
