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Major city · United States

Kanab

Base here 2–3 nights for slot canyons and Vermilion Cliffs, not for Zion or the Grand Canyon: both are 1.5–2 h each way by car.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (over 35 °C, monsoon flash-flood risk in slot canyons), Jan–Feb (many businesses closed)
Airports
LAS · SLC · SGU · KNB
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Kanab is a small Utah town of about 3,500 people on US-89, halfway between Zion and the Grand Canyon's North Rim, and the practical base for the Wave lottery, Buckskin Gulch and Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Almost everything sits on one main road you can walk. You need a car for everything outside town.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Kanab, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a pastry$5–9
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, main course$18–32
  • BeerDraft beer at a bar$6–9
  • Budget bedFamily room or cabin (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$160
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Western film history ("Little Hollywood")Best Friends Animal Society sanctuaryThe Wave lottery at the Grand Staircase-Escalante visitor centerBuckskin Gulch and slot canyonsCoral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Airports
LAS Las Vegas Harry Reid International (About 4–5 h drive via I-15 and UT-9/US-89; the usual arrival for rental cars.) · SLC Salt Lake City International (Over 5 h drive; only worth it if you are already doing a northern Utah loop.) · SGU St. George Regional (About 2 h drive; small commuter flights only.) · KNB Kanab Municipal Airport (2378 S Hwy 89A; no scheduled airline service — check before planning around it.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Kanab: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

−7°C

5 rd

Feb

11°C

−4°C

5 rd

Mar

16°C

−1°C

5 rd

Apr

21°C

2°C

4 rd

May

26°C

7°C

4 rd

Jun

32°C

12°C

3 rd

Jul

35°C

16°C

6 rd

Aug

33°C

15°C

7 rd

Sep

29°C

11°C

5 rd

Oct

22°C

4°C

4 rd

Nov

14°C

−2°C

4 rd

Dec

8°C

−7°C

5 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk the Center Street and Main Street strip — shops, the movie theatre and most restaurants are on it. Everything else (trailheads, the dunes, the Wave lottery trailheads) needs a car; there is no bus or shuttle. Fill the tank in town before heading down US-89A or into the monument.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Drive US-89 north, then Sand Dunes Road; about 30 min

Small entry fee per vehicle; go early or late for cooler sand and better light.

Buckskin Gulch (Wire Pass trailhead)

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive US-89 east to House Rock Valley Road, then gravel to the trailhead

Gravel road turns to mud after rain; check the forecast and carry water.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument / White Pocket

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Drive east on US-89 then south on House Rock Valley Road

White Pocket needs high-clearance 4WD and deep sand; the Wave needs a permit.

Zion National Park (Springdale entrance)

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

US-89 north to Mount Carmel Junction, then UT-9 west

A full day; parking fills by mid-morning, so leave Kanab by 7am.

Grand Canyon North Rim

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

US-89A south to Jacob Lake, then AZ-67 south

AZ-67 closes with snow, usually mid-October to mid-May — check dates before you commit.

Page and Lake Powell

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

US-89 east

Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend; both need timed tickets or an early start.

Bryce Canyon National Park

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

US-89 north then UT-12 east

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep in Bryce or Panguitch.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Center Street and Main Street (US-89)

Most motels, restaurants and the historic district within a 10-minute walk; best if you want to park once.

East US-89 strip

Chain motels (Holiday Inn Express and similar) with parking and easy exit toward Page and Lake Powell.

Angel Canyon Road (Best Friends)

On-site lodging at the animal sanctuary, about 20 min north; book well ahead.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$150–230 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 2 nights × US$150US$300
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$160US$640
Rental car, one day (midsize, picked up in Las Vegas)1 × US$70US$70
Fuel, Kanab–Zion–Kanab day1 × US$25US$25
Coral Pink Sand Dunes day-use fee, per vehicle1 × US$10US$10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$108
Trip total≈ US$296 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,183

2026 estimate in US dollars; rental car and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a pastry$5–9
Burger or diner plate$14–22
Sit-down dinner, main course$18–32
Draft beer at a bar$6–9
Gallon of fuel$3.50–4.50

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Kanab itself is quiet and safe; the real risks are heat, flash floods in slot canyons and long empty drives with no cell signal. Tell someone your route and carry more water than you think you need.
  • Slot canyons (Buckskin Gulch, the Wave area) flood fast in July–September monsoon rain: never enter if rain is forecast anywhere upstream.
  • The Wave needs a permit — 10 online months ahead plus 10 by daily lottery; no permit, no entry, and rangers check.
  • Cell signal drops within minutes of town; download offline maps before you drive.
  • Summer afternoons hit 35 °C+; carry 3–4 L of water per person on any hike.
  • Many restaurants and motels close or cut hours in winter — check before a January trip.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

KanabKanab

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in Kanab; nearest are in Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. US embassies and consulates handle foreign visitors' emergencies.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Kanab → Zion (Springdale) drive: about 1.5 h, 65 km
  • Kanab → Grand Canyon North Rim drive: about 2 h, 130 km
  • Kanab → Las Vegas drive: 4–5 h, about 500 km

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is there a fee? — Is there a fee?
  • I have a permit. — I have a permit.
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • How far is it? — How far is it?
  • I need help. — I need help.

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Kanab. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (over 35 °C, monsoon flash-flood risk in slot canyons), Jan–Feb (many businesses closed) · month by month →
  2. 4 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LAS and SGU: rental-car pickup times, last sensible departure, overnight rung in St. George.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Center Street historic district, the US-89 motel strip, the visitor centers, Angel Canyon.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Little Hollywood Museum, Heritage House, Best Friends tours, the Wave lottery desk) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Monsoon and heat fixtures so slot-canyon days can go red.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources