State park · 26 min west
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Rolling pink sand dunes west of Kanab, great for sandboarding, barefoot running and off-road riding.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Spring to fall
- Utah State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Day Trippin' › Utah › From Kanab
Day trips from Kanab
Kanab sits between the parks: Coral Pink Sand Dunes is under half an hour away, Zion and Lake Powell about an hour, and Bryce Canyon and Horseshoe Bend under an hour and a half. The best day trips from Kanab, by drive time.
60 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Kanab
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park 26 min west
- Zion National Park 56 min northwest
- Springdale 1 hr west
- Horseshoe Bend 1 hr 15 min east
- Cedar Breaks National Monument 1 hr 18 min northwest
- Antelope Canyon 1 hr 23 min east
- Bryce Canyon National Park 1 hr 23 min northeast
- Escalante Petrified Forest State Park 2 hr 15 min northeast
- Lower Calf Creek Falls 2 hr 35 min northeast
- Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum 2 hr 37 min north
Within an hour from Kanab 7 spots
National park · 56 min northwest
Zion National Park
Utah's first national park, where sheer red and cream cliffs rise above the Virgin River in Zion Canyon. Ride the shuttle up the canyon and hop off at trailheads and viewpoints.
- Full day · Easy to hard
- Year-round
- National park entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Town · 1 hr west
Springdale
The small gateway town at Zion's south entrance, with galleries, cafes, bike rentals and a free town shuttle.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Trail · 58 min northwest
Emerald Pools Trail
Short trails from Zion Lodge climb to a set of pools and seasonal falls under alcoves in the cliffs.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- National park entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Bike trail · 58 min northwest
Pa'rus Trail
A paved, mostly flat path along the Virgin River from the Zion visitor center, open to bikes, walkers and leashed dogs.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- National park entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Trail · 43 min east
Toadstools Trail
A short walk east of Kanab to balanced-rock hoodoos that look like giant mushrooms.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Slot canyon · 57 min east
Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch
A short hike into a deep slot that joins Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest slot canyons anywhere.
- Half day · Moderate
- Spring and fall
- BLM day-use permit (per person)
1 to 2 hours from Kanab 40 spots
Viewpoint · 1 hr 15 min east
Horseshoe Bend
A short walk to a cliff edge where the Colorado River makes a giant horseshoe 1,000 feet below.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- City of Page parking fee
National park · 1 hr 18 min northwest
Cedar Breaks National Monument
A huge natural amphitheater of orange and white hoodoos at over 10,000 feet, with cool summer wildflowers and short rim walks.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Late spring to mid-fall (road closes in winter)
- National monument entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Canyon · 1 hr 23 min east
Antelope Canyon
A narrow slot canyon of swirling sandstone and light beams, seen on a guided Navajo tour.
- 1.5-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Guided tour ticket (Navajo Parks permit fee included)
National park · 1 hr 23 min northeast
Bryce Canyon National Park
A rim of amphitheaters packed with orange hoodoos, with viewpoints along an 18-mile road and trails dropping into the formations.
- Full day · Easy to hard
- Year-round
- National park entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
State park · 1 hr 41 min west
Snow Canyon State Park
Red and white sandstone, lava flows and sand dunes just outside St. George, with short hikes and a three-mile paved trail.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Utah State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Scenic drive · 1 hr 2 min north
Scenic Byway 12
An All-American Road linking Bryce to Capitol Reef past slickrock canyons, a narrow ridge called the Hogback and aspen-covered mountains.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Trail · 1 hr 1 min northwest
Angels Landing
A famous climb up switchbacks and a narrow chained ridge to a summit with huge views straight down Zion Canyon. Scout Lookout, short of the chains, makes a good turnaround.
- Half day · Hard
- Spring to fall (check winter ice)
- Permit fee (lottery) plus park entrance fee
Trail · 1 hr 4 min northwest
The Narrows (Riverside Walk)
A paved riverside path at the top of Zion Canyon leads to the Narrows, where you wade up the Virgin River between towering walls.
- 2 hrs to full day · Easy to moderate
- Summer to early fall
- National park entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
2 to 3 hours from Kanab 10 spots
Waterfall · 2 hr 35 min northeast
Lower Calf Creek Falls
A sandy canyon hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante past rock art to a tall waterfall pouring into a cool pool.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round (hot in summer)
- BLM day-use fee (per vehicle) (check)
State park · 2 hr 15 min northeast
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Petrified wood along a hillside trail above Wide Hollow Reservoir, where you can also swim and paddle.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Utah State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Museum · 2 hr 37 min north
Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum
Utah's oldest government building, the first territorial capitol in Fillmore, now a museum with pioneer rooms, cabins and an old stone schoolhouse.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Utah State Parks day-use fee
Lake · 2 hr 44 min northeast
Fish Lake
Utah's largest natural mountain lake, in aspen forest near the giant Pando aspen grove, known for fishing and boating.
- Half day · Easy
- Summer to fall
- Free (some sites charge a fee)
Viewpoint · 2 hr 2 min north
Big Rock Candy Mountain
A colorful yellow and orange hill beside Highway 89 made famous by an old song, with a small resort and roadside stop.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Museum · 2 hr 45 min northeast
Anasazi State Park Museum
A museum in Boulder built at an ancient village site, with a rebuilt dwelling and artifacts.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Utah State Parks day-use fee
Historic site · 2 hr 11 min north
Cove Fort
A restored 1867 black-rock fort near I-15 and I-70, with guided tours of the rooms and pioneer life.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Historic site · 2 hr 30 min southeast
Cameron Trading Post
A historic trading post on the Little Colorado with Navajo rugs, jewelry and a restaurant.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round (closed Christmas)
- No pass or fee needed
Get a day trip idea every Friday
Three ideas for the weekend, one each for Washington, Oregon and Arizona, with a link to plan the day. Free. Unsubscribe any time.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 84741 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.