Kanab, a small town of about 5,000 people on Utah’s southern border, sits at roughly 5,000 feet of elevation in high desert surrounded by red-rock country. It is within easy driving distance of Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, the Vermilion Cliffs, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. In summer, the area is hot and crowded. In winter, it is one of the best-kept secrets in the Southwest — mild daytime temperatures (40s–60s°F from December through February, climbing into the 60s by March), dramatically fewer visitors, lower hotel prices, and some of the best photography light of the year thanks to the low winter sun. Here is what to do in and around Kanab during the off-season.
Why Winter
Winter daytime temperatures in Kanab are typically pleasant enough for hiking — cold mornings in the 20s–30s°F give way to comfortable afternoons in the 40s–60s. Snow is possible but uncommon in Kanab itself (it sits lower than the surrounding plateaus). The sun is lower in the sky, creating warm light and long shadows that make the red rock glow — photographers specifically target winter for this. Snakes are dormant, bugs are gone, and trails that are packed in summer are often empty. Hotels and vacation rentals drop their prices significantly, sometimes by 30–50% compared to peak season.
The main trade-off is shorter days and the possibility of snow or ice at higher elevations (Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and the Kaibab Plateau). Some dirt roads — particularly those leading to trailheads in the Vermilion Cliffs, Grand Staircase, and Coyote Buttes area — can become impassable when wet or snowy. Check road conditions at the Kanab Visitor Center before heading out on unpaved roads.
Zion National Park
Zion’s east entrance (via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway) is less than an hour from Kanab. In winter, the mandatory park shuttle does not run in Zion Canyon — private vehicles are allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which means you can drive all the way to the Temple of Sinawava at your own pace. This is the only time of year you can do this. The canyon floor trails — Riverside Walk, Pa’rus Trail, Lower and Upper Emerald Pools, and the Watchman Trail — are all hikeable in winter, though icy sections may require microspikes. The Narrows is generally not recommended in winter due to cold water temperatures (near freezing) and flash flood risk from snowmelt, but some experienced hikers do it with drysuits. Angels Landing remains open but can be extremely dangerous when icy — use extreme caution or skip it in winter conditions. Zion’s entrance fee is $35 per vehicle.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is about 80 miles (1.5 hours) north of Kanab. The park sits at 8,000–9,100 feet — roughly a mile and a half above sea level — and gets significant snow in winter. Snow-covered hoodoos are among the most photographed scenes in the national park system. The main park road is plowed and remains open in winter (though sections may close temporarily during and immediately after heavy snowfall). Most hiking trails stay open, including the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Loop, but they can be icy — microspikes or traction devices are essential. Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are offered free of charge (sign up at the visitor center the morning of, first-come first-served; snowshoes provided).
Ruby’s Inn, just outside the park entrance, is a winter activity hub: cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals, 30+ kilometers of groomed Nordic trails, an ice skating ribbon, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and snowmobile access to trails in the surrounding Dixie National Forest (snowmobiles are not allowed inside the national park itself). The annual Bryce Canyon Winter Festival is held over Presidents’ Day weekend in February.
Dogs at Bryce: Dogs are allowed only on paved surfaces — campgrounds, parking lots, viewpoints, and the paved section of the Rim Trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point (~0.5 mile). Dogs are not allowed on any other trail in the park. For dog-friendly hoodoo hiking, nearby Red Canyon (on Highway 12 between Bryce and Panguitch) allows dogs on its trails and has similar red-rock formations.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (note: “Coral Pink,” not just “Coral”) is about 20 minutes west of Kanab. The park’s orange-pink sand dunes — formed by wind funneling through a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains — are dramatic year-round but particularly striking in winter when the light is low and crowds are thin. In summer, the dunes are busy with ATVs; in winter, you may have them largely to yourself. There are no marked trails — just walk up into the dunes. The park is pet-friendly (leashed). Sunset is the best time to visit for photography and color. The park has a campground and a day-use area. Entry is $10 per vehicle.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
The country’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary is located just outside Kanab on Highway 89, in the stunning Angel Canyon. Best Friends houses roughly 1,600 rescue animals — dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, horses, pigs, goats, and more — that have come from shelters around the country for socialization, rehabilitation, and eventual adoption. Free guided tours run multiple times daily (reservation recommended, especially in peak seasons). You can also volunteer to spend time with the animals. The sanctuary is open year-round and makes a particularly good winter activity — it’s an indoor/outdoor experience that works in any weather and is rewarding for animal lovers of all ages.
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park (about 1.5 hours from Kanab, near Cannonville) is named for its multicolored rock formations — sandstone spires, sedimentary pipes, and hoodoos in shades of red, orange, white, and pink. The park is relatively small and quiet, making it easy to explore in a few hours. Recommended trails include the Angel’s Palace Trail (~1.5 miles, panoramic views of the basin and surrounding hoodoos) and the Panorama Trail (3–6 miles depending on your route). The park is dog-friendly (leashed) and has a campground. Winter visits are typically uncrowded.
The Wave / Coyote Buttes
The Wave — the iconic swirling sandstone formation in the Coyote Buttes North area — is about 45 minutes from Kanab. Access requires a BLM permit, awarded by lottery. Only 64 people per day are allowed. Winter is actually one of the better times to enter the lottery because far fewer people apply than in peak season — your odds of winning improve significantly. The online lottery opens four months in advance; a walk-in lottery for next-day permits is also held at the Kanab Visitor Center. The 6.4-mile roundtrip hike to The Wave is unmarked and requires navigation skills. In winter, the trail may have snow or ice in shaded sections — bring microspikes. Check road conditions to the Wire Pass Trailhead, as the dirt road can be impassable when wet.
Kanab Sand Caves, Belly of the Dragon, and Moqui Cave
Several quick, unique stops lie just north of Kanab along Highway 89. The Sand Caves (also called the Kanab Sand Caves or “Great Chamber”) are man-made sandstone alcoves about 5 miles north of town — a short hike up to caverns that glow with warm light in late afternoon. Belly of the Dragon is a short tunnel/cave under the highway about 17 miles north of Kanab — a quick walk-through with an interesting rippled sandstone interior. Moqui Cave is a small museum inside a natural cave 6 miles north of Kanab, with exhibits on local geology, fossils, and Native American artifacts. All three are easy, short visits that work well as add-ons to a day of driving between Kanab and Bryce Canyon.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
The vast Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers nearly a million acres north and east of Kanab. In dry winter conditions, hikes like Wahweap Hoodoos, Toadstool Hoodoos (off Highway 89 between Kanab and Page), and the lower Paria Canyon area are accessible and spectacular. Many of the monument’s dirt roads, however, are impassable when wet — clay surfaces become dangerously slippery. Check at the Kanab Visitor Center or the GSENM Visitor Center in Kanab before venturing onto unpaved roads.
What’s Closed in Winter
The Grand Canyon North Rim (about 80 miles south of Kanab) is closed from roughly mid-October through mid-May. The road to the North Rim Visitor Center and lodge is not plowed. This is a common disappointment for winter visitors who assume it’s open — it is not. Plan for the North Rim on a spring, summer, or early fall trip instead.
Cedar Breaks National Monument (north of Kanab, above 10,000 feet) is also closed to vehicles in winter, though it is accessible by snowshoe or ski.
Kanab Itself
Kanab has a small but pleasant downtown with restaurants (Sego, Rocking V Cafe, Peekaboo Kitchen, Wild Thyme), coffee shops, a few galleries, and the Little Hollywood Museum — a nod to the town’s history as a filming location for dozens of Western movies and TV shows from the 1920s through the 1970s. The Kanab Visitor Center on East Center Street is an excellent first stop for road condition updates, trail recommendations, and permit information. In winter, the town is quiet and unhurried — the opposite of the summer rush.
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