St. George to Kanab, Utah – 29 October 2025

The drive from St George to Kanab which was directly East should have taken 1.5 hours, instead it ended up a 3.5 hour drive all the way back to Cedar City and then over Cedar Breaks and down the other side. If we had not done that we would have had to go into Zion national park and get a permit to go through the tunnel. When we finally got to Coral Pink Sand Dunes we were very tired. Then thanks to some earlier itinerary changes, we accidentally arrived at the campground a day early. Fortunately, we found a free dispersed camping spot just five minutes down the road—rustic, with no electricity or water, but perfectly fine for the night.

That evening we drove back into the park and were treated to an incredible sunset. As the sun dipped behind the hills, the dunes shifted from pale peach to warm pink to deep rust—absolutely magical.

The next morning we checked into the proper site and were given a lovely RV spot nestled below the dunes, complete with a covered picnic area. A short climb up the ridge revealed sweeping views of the rolling sandscape. Jax adored the soft sand and dug into it like a mad dog. One night he and I climbed to the top of one of the tallest dunes and were rewarded with breathtaking views across the park. These dunes move up to 50 feet each year, constantly reshaping themselves—so no two visits ever look the same.

The campground was lively, as the dunes are a favourite playground for UTVs, dune surfers, and bikers who come to ride the rolling waves of sand. Despite the activity, our little corner remained quiet and peaceful, the perfect spot to soak in the desert’s colours and endless horizon.

We were sitting outside our RV the one night enjoying the sunshine when this tiny white gopher suddenly popped his head out of a hole right beside us. He kept shuffling sand out of his tunnel — completely unfazed by Jax watching nearby.

Turns out Coral Pink Sand Dunes has its own little crew of Botta’s pocket gophers — amazing little sand engineers that keep the desert soil healthy. Hard to believe these tiny guys can move hundreds of pounds of dirt every year just with their teeth and claws.

Apparently, white ones are pretty rare, so this cute little neighbour was an extra special sighting.

Kanab itself is about a 30-minute drive from the park, so we took some time to explore the area. Our first stop was the Belly of the Dragon, a fascinating tunnel originally carved to divert water under the highway. Over time, the flowing water sculpted the sandstone into rib-like curves that truly resemble the inside of a dragon. It’s a short walk through the dim, echoing passage before you emerge back into the sunlight—simple, fun, and definitely worth a stop.

From there, we continued into downtown Kanab and visited the Moqui Cave Museum, a natural sandstone cavern with a colourful past. In the 1950s it operated as a bar and dance hall carved right into the rock—hard to imagine locals drinking and dancing here beneath glowing neon lights! Today it’s a small but intriguing museum featuring Native American artifacts, dinosaur tracks from the region, and an impressive display of minerals and gemstones that light up brilliantly under UV. A quirky and memorable stop.

We wandered downtown afterward for coffee and couldn’t resist trying one of the famous gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches at The Brown Box Café—fresh rosemary, caramelized onions, sourdough… absolutely to die for.

The name Kanab comes from the Southern Paiute word meaning “place of the willows,” referring to the willow trees that once thrived along Kanab Creek. Thanks to its dramatic red-rock backdrops, Kanab has also starred in hundreds of Western movies and TV shows dating back to the 1920s. Throughout downtown you’ll find plaques honouring actors and actresses who filmed here. We also visited the local Hollywood museum to see some classic sets and props from that era.

All in all, Kanab was a delightful blend of history, natural beauty, and small-town charm—and well worth the visit.