Kanab, Utah

 We somewhat reluctantly left Torrey after days of incredible beauty. The weather was perfect, and we headed for southern Utah.

We went west on highway 24, moved over to highway 62, and eventually found ourselves on US 89, going south. The terrain changed to rangeland, then back to red rocks. The road wound through canyons and small towns.

We didn’t have an opportunity to stop, but we remarked on the unexpected things that pop up as we travel.

The birthplace of Butch Cassidy, just outside Beaver, Utah.

When we arrived in Panguitch, memories of vacations with her family to Lake Panguitch brought a smile to Donnas face!

Continuing on to Kanab we passed into high desert. Occasional outcroppings of red rock dot the landscape, but for the most part, it’s pretty much desert.

We’re in Dark Skies RV Park just east of Kanab, tucked into the Vermillion Mountains. It’s quiet and dark, as the name suggests. This park is unique in that every site has a completely clear view of the night sky. The family that owns it takes pride in personal touches and provides a complete meal every Thursday night free of charge as a way to welcome their guests. We were fortunate to be able to participate and have some great conversations. This park is a keeper!

Each site is equipped with a ramada and a sunscreen. A new nylon hammock is hanging in the ramada and a propane fireplace is included. The utilities perform flawlessly at this four year old park, and satellite television is not a problem!

We have not seen the north rim of the Grand Canyon, so, since it’s only eighty miles away, off we go!

Taking US 89A south toward Flagstaff and Phoenix, and then highway 67 south into the National Park, we drove leisurely and arrived about an hour and a half after we left. 

The beauty of the Grand Canyon cannot be overstated.

These puny photos don’t come close to describing a seventy five degree, clear day, with a slight breeze rustling through the Pinyon Pines and the Utah Junipers. With the help of a Romanian “porter” working for the summer at the Lodge, we were able to get to a unique canyon viewpoint not normally seen by the casual tourist. Here’s something a click-click tourist won’t see.

The Lodge is built in the grand style of 1927, but rebuilt in 1932 after a disastrous fire. The lodge is built of native limestone and timber and occupies a prominent place on Bright Angel Point.

Cabins dot the canyon rim adjacent to the hotel, with the best of them having a front porch overlooking the canyon. They’re complete with private bathrooms and of course, linen service. Donna and I put one of these on our bucket list to do as soon as we can scrape up $500 a night…

We took the Transept Trail back to the truck and beat feet back to Kanab.

The road into the North Rim area is a gentle rise through mountain meadows to an elevation of 8,000 feet. It’s definitely a road less traveled, as only 10% of the parks visitors make it to the North Rim. Much of the area fifteen miles north of the North Rim was burned in 2020 by the Mangum fire which destroyed over 71,000 acres. After only four years, Cottonwood and Aspen trees are ten feet tall!

We had another day to enjoy in the Kanab area, so we decided to drive east on highway 89 to Page, Arizona, and the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. On the way, we quickly encountered the beginnings of some foul weather.

We soon arrived at the townsite of Pahreah, established in the 1860’s. Changed to Paria, the name describes this entire area.

A few miles southeast the Paria river cuts through miles of sandstone, resulting in a series of slot canyons. Our daughter backpacked through the canyon back when we expected her to be in college! This photo cribbed from the internet because we don’t do this….

We eventually came to the Glen Canyon dam, which has created a huge recreational area, including Lake Powell.

Millions of megawatts are created by the tremors turbines buried in the bowels of the dam. The water discharge from those turbines is huge! Check the vehicles for comparison.

The sandstone formations speak to layers of oozing mud, lapping and flowing and hardening over time.

Oh yeah. The rain is coming…

We felt the need for lunch, so we ducked into a parking lot to have something to eat at the Mucho Loko food truck.

Two birria tacos and a Sonoron hot dog later, we were stuffed and happy!

Page has changed alot since it was established as a construction town during the building of the dam, and today it’s an upscale destination for recreational use, as well as for those who love the desert. Much of the historical downtown has been preserved, including the Street of Tiny Hotels.

We stopped at the end of Chains Road, which was an access road during construction to get a last look at the beautiful site.

Back at camp, the thunderstorms finally arrived.

But the storms were followed by awesome rainbows and beautiful sunsets!

It’s close to a full moon in the desert and it was amazing just before dawn.

Our last day in Kanab started with a bang….thunderstorms from the south! After securing all the outdoor stuff, we took a ride a few miles east, turning north on Johnson Canyon Road. We were very soon in more red rock country.

Beautiful wildflowers enjoying the wet weather!

A few miles farther on, we came across the site where the outdoor scenes for the western tv show Gunsmoke were filmed between 1955 and 1975. Not much left, but I think I see Festus under that tree…

Returning to downtown Kanab, we spotted a lovely older home now used as a heritage museum, and across the street, a neighbor has decorated with horse drawn buggies and old trucks.

Back at the trailer, we were happy to relax outside and watch a fantastic Utah sunset.

Our brief stay in Kanab has been a huge success. The scenery is unforgettable. Our next stop has some interesting scenery, but of a completely different style. See you in a few days!