Why you can Skip the Kanab Sand Caves (Alternatives in Kanab)
The Kanab Sand Caves are man-made caves southern Utah, about 5 miles north of Kanab.
They’re truly a sight to behold, and the fact that you can scramble up to them and hike into them is awesome. The caves are big and go deep, and you can take your shoes off to enjoy the cool sand between your toes.
Unfortunately, the Kanab Sand Caves have been a hit on social media. Add that to the fact that they’re between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, and you get HUGE crowds.
For that reason, you can skip visiting the Kanab Sand Caves. There are better alternatives in the area!
It’s not that I hate crowds so much. The problem is that the Kanab Sand Caves have no infrastructure for tourists.
The caves, like I said, are man-made and are only there because they were created for sand mining in the past. It didn’t last long, and they left a beautiful cave on the side of the mountain.
All you’ll find is a parking lot and the caves.
Add crowds of people to this and it has become hectic, ugly and even dangerous.
You may think I’m exaggerating but let me tell you why I didn’t enjoy exploring the Kanab Sand Caves.
Why you can Skip the Kanab Sand Caves
I went to the Kanab Sand Caves while I did the Grand Circle road trip and didn’t have a good time.
That’s not to say you won’t have a good time! But here’s my honest review based on my experience.
We arrived at the parking lot early in the morning and it was empty.
We had just left Zion and had heard there was lots to do around Kanab.
Before hiking to the caves, we made our classic gas stove breakfast of oatmeal with protein powder and relaxed. By the time we finished, the parking lot was half full.
We started the hike and got to the bluff we had to scramble up. The scrambling was fun, but we got up there and a kid threw a rock the size of my head off the top of a cliff. It landed 50 feet from us.
Problem #1 of crowds.
Once we got to the Kanab Sand Caves, what looked like a gorgeous cave turned out to be absolutely full of sand graffiti. The walls are just sand, so 100% of the cave’s walls are just people’s engravings.
Despite signs saying not to graffiti, there were kids everywhere actively carving their names into the wall.
Problem #2 of crowds.
The whole thing just wasn’t a pleasant experience in nature, which is what I was expecting.
Anyway, that’s it for my rant.
Let’s look at some alternative activities close to Kanab.
Kanab: Things to Do (Kanab Sand Cave Alternatives)
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
This State Park has sand dunes that move a bunch due to the wind – up to 50 feet every year.
You can come enjoy the views, sled down the dunes and even go on an OHV tour in the sand!
The Great Chamber
This formation is a sand dune trapped inside a deep alcove in a huge pointy rock formation. It really is something to behold!
It’s a short but steep hike to the Great Chamber.
Peakaboo Canyon
The narrow slots carved by rivers that you can find in Zion are very technical and you have to rappel into them.
At Peakaboo Canyon, they’re accessible on foot, so anyone can visit. Please respect the area and keep it pristine!
If you have 4WD, you can drive up to Peakabook Canyon. Otherwise, it’s a 4-mile hike to the gorgeous slots. You can also take an off-road tour to Peakaboo Canyon!
Explore the Jackson Flat Reservoir
This reservoir is a great place, especially in the summer, to take a refreshing dip.
You can also hike around the reservoir, kayak or paddleboard on the water, play disc golf and just have a relaxing day at the beach.
Dinosaur Tracks Trail
This is a short (0.7 miles roundtrip) but steep hike to see some dinosaur tracks. From the parking lot, aim for the big rocky plateau.
The dinosaur tracks are right on top of it, they’re really easy to find and its super impressive to see!
The footprints are enormous!
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
If you’re looking for something to do a little farther from Kanab, the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is 2 hours away in Arizona.
It’s known for White Pocket, a mars-like formation in the national monument. You can take a full day hiking tour and get some of the most amazing photos.
So, as you can see, there’s plenty to do in Kanab… and this list doesn’t even cover all of it!
Places to Stay in Kanab:
For free camping, go to Twin Hollows Campground. It fills up quickly, though!
We actually slept at these coordinates near Kanab: 37.205696, -112.675018. And there are lots of other free camping options.
If you’re planning any sort of trip in the Southwest, I actually made a free map with 70+ free car camping spots I found and vetted during my 2 years on the road. It’s my go-to resource whenever I’m planning where to sleep for the night.
👉 Grab the map for free below – I’ll email it to you right away!
On the other hand, these are the best hotels in Kanab:
- Comfort Suites (a family-friendly hotel at great prices)
- Canyons Boutique Hotel (a romantic, rustic-looking boutique hotel)
- Hampton Inn Kanab (a more classic modern hotel)
All in all, the area around Kanab is amazing, and there’s SO much to do. It’s definitely worth stopping in Kanab, especially if you’re traveling between Zion and Bryce.
I believe the Kanab Sand Caves aren’t really worth it compared to everything else there is to do in Kanab.
