This is my last blog in the Best Friends series, but I’ll add a little twist in my next post. To read more about the sanctuary itself and our two-week volunteering experience (with heaps of photos of cuteness), particularly in Dogtown, click here. You can find out more about “our” sleepover dogs here.
In my previous blog post, I showed some of the beauty Angel Canyon, where Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is located, comprises. My favorite view is still the one from the Angel Village Café. And, the one through the windows of one of the founders’ home isn’t too shabby either!
Kanab Town
Kanab is a small town, yet big enough to have a couple of grocery stores, a thrift store, quite a few hotels and restaurants, and even a one-room movie theater. The center of town is walkable and exudes a historic feel.
One of Kanab’s nicest qualities in our opinion is that it’s surrounded by majestic red rocks and lots of hiking trails.
Entering Kanab proper
Squaw Trail
One morning, Mark and I hiked the Squaw Trail at one end of town for exercise – it was steep – and beautiful views over town and the surrounding area.
That’s when we noticed the perfect boondocking spot for subsequent nights. The town allows free overnight camping at this edge of town, but this last spot remains our favorite. It was quiet at night and gorgeous any time of day.
Belly of the Dragon
Our free camping resource, iOverlander, mentioned attractive campsites along a river, north of town. Because it’s located ten minutes away from Dogtown instead of five, we hadn’t made it there until our shifts were finished. What a joy it was, to camp along a river and have time to finally sit in our chairs and enjoy the weather and the surroundings!
Within walking distance, the Belly of the Dragon welcomed us. This unique tunnel – we could barely get through the dark alley without a flashlight – led us underneath the highway and towards a wash that ended at a small waterfall. It’s a little-known site in the Kanab area, but truly unique.
Conclusion
If you haven’t heard of Kanab before, it might come as a surprise that it is located in close proximity to the following (famous) national parks: Zion National Park (less than one hour away), the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon (both about 1.5 hours away), and our beloved Vermilion Cliffs (less than half an hour away). If we ever settle somewhere…
Have you ever been to or heard of Kanab, Utah? Any particular town in the US that stole your heart?
June 18, 2019 at 10:32
I have been to Kanab several times. Used to volunteer a lot from 1999 to about 2006 . actually have a piece of land there too. I was there last October house sitting for a friend of mine who works in cats at Best friends. Joni Miller. Maybe you met her. Anyways, I have never heard of the Belly of the dragon so will have to ask Joni if she knows it. She hikes a lot. If you are still there, Check out the Mansard trailhttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwirgICYuvPiAhUCDKwKHbgNAPEQFjAAegQIAxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blm.gov%2Fvisit%2Fsearch-details%2F16445%2F2&usg=AOvVaw0X0q_9AdvwCIdCHM9P_b_n. Nice one with views and petroglyphs .
June 18, 2019 at 10:34
Sorry the link did not come out right. But you can just look it up. Mansard Trail.
June 18, 2019 at 16:17
No worries! We know where it is and hope to hike it in the future. Thanks for the reference.
June 18, 2019 at 16:14
Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment, Sue! How nice that you’re so familiar with Kanab and you have so much experience volunteering at Best Friends. Incredible! It’s always nice to (virtually) meet people with similar interests.
Mark and I actually looked at land while we were there, too. Is your piece located in the Ranchos or in town? I have a feeling that Kanab will become (even) more popular as a destination or base. And, there is a housing problem for Best Friends employees as well.
I didn’t meet Joni as I only did one shift in Cat World, but we had a few locals rave about the hike you suggest. We ran out of time and it was getting quite hot, to do it this time around. We are not in Utah anymore, but in Colorado, making our way east for the summer. That being said, we liked Kanab a lot and hope to be back soon.
June 18, 2019 at 11:03
Oh wow, Kanab is my kind of town. I’d love to visit there or anywhere in Utah. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous photos, Liesbet. My heart belongs to any towns located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
June 18, 2019 at 16:19
Good choice, Jill! It looks like you’ve found your favorite place to live. And to write about. 🙂 Mark and I hope to go back to Kanab in the near future. But, we will probably drive through Shenandoah before that.
June 18, 2019 at 11:14
We have never walked around downtown Kanab. It does seem like a nice small town and Utah is so amazing.
I think the only “town” that has “stole my heart” has been Atlanta. I really love it here – but a big city is a place you need to get to know over time. Sometimes I wonder why left . Even though we come back every summer that will stop eventually. I don’t know when I will ever be ready to settle down – but when we do I hope to find another spot just like Cabbagetown.
Another one of my favorite cities is Asheville, NC. If you ever come down south you should check it out. That part of North Carolina is just full of amazing little towns – and lots of free National Forest camping!
June 18, 2019 at 16:24
It’s so cool that you return every year to Cabbagetown than, if you really like it that much. And, you can always go back, having so many friends there. You have us curious about a visit, for sure! I’ve only been to Atlanta once and that was ages ago.
We did spend some time walking around Asheville, NC (and have seen quite a few house sits there) in the past, but it was really cold and rainy that day, so all I remember is hiding inside a crafts store or exhibition and the beautiful surroundings. We should probably go back one of these years, as everyone raves about that town and its atmosphere. Probably too expensive to ever “settle”, though.
June 18, 2019 at 11:22
Looking at the map, I don’t think we passed through Kanab when we visited Utah though I can’t remember our exact route. I love everywhere round there though: such an amazing landscape.
June 19, 2019 at 09:32
Every time I stared at the red rocks surrounding town, I thought “I would never get bored of this view.” Them, we drove through the snow-capped mountains and along the rivers of Colorado and I thought “Such a beautiful state!” Yet, I think I still rather live in Southern Utah – scenery-wise and climate-wise. 🙂
June 18, 2019 at 12:35
We have been here! Such an amazing company doing such good things!
Yay for traveling to Utah!! 🙌 I love Kanab!
June 19, 2019 at 09:34
I sure understand more and more why you guys live in Utah! Mark and I are considering it now as well! A fantastic state, for sure. I hope you’ve been enjoying the spring!
June 18, 2019 at 14:46
It looks beautiful there Liesbet and I especially love those pics of the Belly of the Dragon and the river 🙂💖 xxx
June 19, 2019 at 09:35
I wish we could have stayed there a bit longer, Xenia, but we had been postponing our trek west long enough. Today, we are officially leaving the west and returning to the east…
June 18, 2019 at 16:19
I’m not at all surprised that you may want to settle here one day. On our trip West we took in Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, or so I think: It was SO long ago. I have not heard of Belly of the Dragon. I wonder if it was cool inside. That walk definitely appeals to me.
The Best Friends: Sanctuary has your heart; I’m certainly convinced of that.
June 19, 2019 at 09:40
The Belly of the Dragon is a short tunnel, created by a river, with rocky edges and bends jutting out. It was much cooler in there, Marian. Maybe a bit spooky (we didn’t have a flashlight with us), but just enough light to get us from one side to the other. The return walk was more tricky, as the light was different – in front of us and therefore more blinding, so we saw less and our footing was shaky.
Those national parks in Southern Utah are fantastic and probably much less busy when you visited. Right now, the crowds and traffic have scared people away. But, if one lives in the area, one can pick when to visit. 🙂
June 19, 2019 at 02:02
Kanab really seems to have a lot going for it. Looks great!
June 19, 2019 at 09:44
I think one of the reasons we like Kanab so much is that we actually spent a decent amount of time there and got to know it a little bit. Usually, in our lifestyle, when on the road, we don’t stay in the same place long enough to ever consider settling there. With house sits, it’s different. We really immerse ourselves. But, other than San Diego (where we could never afford to live), no place stood out enough for us to even consider living there ourselves.
June 19, 2019 at 07:04
We recently flew into Utah when we left Sacramento en route to see family in Chicago. Sadly no time to explore but the landscape from the plane certainly looked alluring. I was surprised to see huge mountains, I guess my American geography is not great!
Love tour photos of the gorgeous landscape. Unusual tunnel..is it not called a “cave”? Perhaps it never widens 🙂 Beautiful yellow cactus flower.
Peta
June 19, 2019 at 09:48
Haha, Peta. I love your discovery of mountains in Utah from the plane. Must have been Salt Lake City. We had the same realization a few months ago, when we drove through middle and northern Arizona for the first time and discovered mountains and snow. And, were cold! We thought Arizona consisted of only desert…
The Belly was created by a river, so it has an entrance and an exit. I call it a tunnel because of that. It was quite narrow and didn’t conjure up an image of a cave to me. But, what do I know? 🙂
June 19, 2019 at 07:19
I hadn’t heard much of Kanab until your posts, Liesbet. The area looks like a photographer’s dream, thanks for sharing your fab photos! Your boondocking site looks heavenly and that Belly of the Dragon, surreal. Looking forward to your next post. Happy trails!
June 19, 2019 at 09:52
Hi Terri! I think you’ll have to add Kanab to your itinerary for your next trip in the Southwest! 🙂 We had no idea of its existence either, except as the location for Best Friends. So, its beauty and other advantages came as a pleasant surprise.
Started our long jaunt east today! New blog to come today or tomorrow. Sun’s blaring on my screen right now, as Mark is driving us towards it. Hope your recovery is going well!! Sending you strength and hugs and patience.
June 19, 2019 at 17:29
It’s beautiful! I had actually heard of Kanab, but I don’t remember where or why. Maybe we passed through it on one of our family trips decades ago. But your photos and descriptions make me want to visit there now! 🙂
June 19, 2019 at 20:25
Hey! I want to do the same thing, and can’t wait to return to the Kanab area again. It’s a long drive back from the East Coast of the US, though. We will see what happens… As always.