Three weeks in Kanab Utah…
Why we came…
To play in spectacular slickrock country and volunteer at Best Friends Animal Society.
The campground…
J&J RV Park is a brand new campground in Kanab. There are 42 sites, 13 pull throughs (25x60) and 29 back-in sites (25x53). We had a back-in site at the rear of the campground. The roads through the park are new paved roads. The sites are gravel and mostly level. They offer full hookups and are open year-round. We disconnected water most nights due to low temperatures in the twenties.
When we first arrived the campground was about half full. Quite a few folks had their sand toys (ATVs and dirt bikes). So despite the fact that the sites are long and wide, when your neighbor has two vehicles, a trailer, and ATVs it starts to feel crowded.
By the time we left there were only seven RVs and it was fairly quiet. We did not hear any traffic noise at night because the campground is set back from the road a little bit and we were at the back of the park. Plus, Kanab itself was pretty "sleepy" every night.
There was decent Wi-Fi and a decent cell phone/data signal.
It is a family-owned campground and Julie always seemed to be in the office and willing to help with adventure ideas, services, or to answer questions.
Showers and bathrooms were clean but chilly. The laundry room is new, clean and has four large washers and dryers and costs $4 a load.
There were spectacular sunsets against the Vermilion Cliffs each night.
The campground…
J&J RV Park is a brand new campground in Kanab. There are 42 sites, 13 pull throughs (25x60) and 29 back-in sites (25x53). We had a back-in site at the rear of the campground. The roads through the park are new paved roads. The sites are gravel and mostly level. They offer full hookups and are open year-round. We disconnected water most nights due to low temperatures in the twenties.
When we first arrived the campground was about half full. Quite a few folks had their sand toys (ATVs and dirt bikes). So despite the fact that the sites are long and wide, when your neighbor has two vehicles, a trailer, and ATVs it starts to feel crowded.
By the time we left there were only seven RVs and it was fairly quiet. We did not hear any traffic noise at night because the campground is set back from the road a little bit and we were at the back of the park. Plus, Kanab itself was pretty "sleepy" every night.
There was decent Wi-Fi and a decent cell phone/data signal.
It is a family-owned campground and Julie always seemed to be in the office and willing to help with adventure ideas, services, or to answer questions.
Showers and bathrooms were clean but chilly. The laundry room is new, clean and has four large washers and dryers and costs $4 a load.
There were spectacular sunsets against the Vermilion Cliffs each night.
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| We had full hook-ups and were comfortable. It would feel crowded if it was full. |
Nearby towns...
Kanab: The Kanab area was first settled in 1864, and the town was founded in 1870 when ten Latter-Day Saint families moved into the area. Kanab sits at 4,970 feet and has a population of almost 5,000.
It has two nice-sized grocery stores. Since it is the gateway to several National Parks and Wilderness areas that are within a couple hours in all directions, it has a number of quality restaurants and motels. There are also several other campgrounds.
Kanab: The Kanab area was first settled in 1864, and the town was founded in 1870 when ten Latter-Day Saint families moved into the area. Kanab sits at 4,970 feet and has a population of almost 5,000.
It has two nice-sized grocery stores. Since it is the gateway to several National Parks and Wilderness areas that are within a couple hours in all directions, it has a number of quality restaurants and motels. There are also several other campgrounds.
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| Kanab sits at the foot of the Vermillion Cliffs (Pic credit to Michel27 found here ) |
St George: St George sits at half the elevation of Kanab at 2,860′ and is more than 17 times the size at 87,000. It's the main service center in the region and is an 80 mile drive to the west of Kanab.
“The city lies in the Sun Belt, at the northeastern-most part of the Mojave Desert, adjacent to the Pine Valley Mountains near the convergence of three distinct geological areas: the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin. The city is 118 miles northeast of Las Vegas and 300 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. The St. George area is well known for its natural environment and proximity to several state and national parks.”
“Stately 19th-century buildings such as the Pioneer Courthouse and Brigham Young Winter Home dot downtown.” The city has any service or shopping we would need.
Adventures…
The Wave...
“The Wave” has been featured in National Geographic and many other types of media. People come from all over the world to see the very unique, very photogenic geologic feature. In order to prevent it from getting “loved to death”, there is a strict permit system to control the number of visitors. Only 20 permits are given out each day. 10 are given out 6 months in advance and 10 are given out the day prior to hiking. Six years ago we applied for the online lottery and were rejected.
Since we were going to be in Kanab for a few weeks, we thought we’d try to "win" a permit. The first time there were 55 applicants. The second time, during Thanksgiving week, there were 182 applicants! The Ranger running the lottery said it was one of the busiest days of the year.
Our name wasn’t drawn either day… Oh well. The region got two good soakings and snow which made the road impassible. We’ll give it another shot in the future!
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| Folks hoping to get a lottery permit to see The Wave |
Buckskin Gulch...
We
planned to hike Buckskin Gulch as a backup plan if we failed to get a permit for the Wave.
“The Buckskin Gulch, a canyon in southern Utah, is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is itself a minor tributary of the Colorado River. It is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States and may be the longest in the world. As such it is one of the premier destinations for slot canyon hikers, and receives a high amount of foot traffic.” Backpackers take two days to hike the 21 mile canyon.
The parking area for Coyotte Butte, the Wave, and one of the Buckskin Gulch access points is at the Wire Pass Trailhead. To get to the trailhead, we had to drive eight and half miles down a bumpy red dirt road. During, and for a time after rains, the road is impassable.
The first part of the hike was through a "wash" and relatively flat as it wound around between red rock towers with the white cliffs in the distance. Then we saw the wash disappear into a crack through the red rocks. We pushed forward and were immediately engulfed in a slot canyon.
This was Wire Pass. We could only go a short distance before we ran into a choke stone - a significant obstacle. After a quick assessment, we decided to backtrack. There were cairns to help guide us over a detour to avoid to obstacle. After we climbed up and over the short, but steep detour, we reentered the tight crimson slot.
Just as suddenly as it had closed in, it opened up where Wire Pass meets Buckskin Gulch. We relished the warm sun because we knew we'd be in the shadows again for awhile. Sure enough, a couple of hundred yards farther, the canyon walls closed, the sun disappeared, and the temperature dropped - we were in Buckskin Gulch.
As we made our way along, sometimes over rocks, sometimes through deep sand, the walls continued to grow over us. The slot canyon weaved and waved. We imagined the water churning its way through. In areas where the stone was softer the canyon would open, then squeeze in again. It was amazing!
We retraced our steps and the movement of the sun gave the red walls a new look. We only saw 2 or 3 miles of the 21 mile long Buckskin Gulch. Imagine spending a few days to experience the whole thing!
“The Buckskin Gulch, a canyon in southern Utah, is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is itself a minor tributary of the Colorado River. It is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States and may be the longest in the world. As such it is one of the premier destinations for slot canyon hikers, and receives a high amount of foot traffic.” Backpackers take two days to hike the 21 mile canyon.
The parking area for Coyotte Butte, the Wave, and one of the Buckskin Gulch access points is at the Wire Pass Trailhead. To get to the trailhead, we had to drive eight and half miles down a bumpy red dirt road. During, and for a time after rains, the road is impassable.
The first part of the hike was through a "wash" and relatively flat as it wound around between red rock towers with the white cliffs in the distance. Then we saw the wash disappear into a crack through the red rocks. We pushed forward and were immediately engulfed in a slot canyon.
This was Wire Pass. We could only go a short distance before we ran into a choke stone - a significant obstacle. After a quick assessment, we decided to backtrack. There were cairns to help guide us over a detour to avoid to obstacle. After we climbed up and over the short, but steep detour, we reentered the tight crimson slot.
Just as suddenly as it had closed in, it opened up where Wire Pass meets Buckskin Gulch. We relished the warm sun because we knew we'd be in the shadows again for awhile. Sure enough, a couple of hundred yards farther, the canyon walls closed, the sun disappeared, and the temperature dropped - we were in Buckskin Gulch.
As we made our way along, sometimes over rocks, sometimes through deep sand, the walls continued to grow over us. The slot canyon weaved and waved. We imagined the water churning its way through. In areas where the stone was softer the canyon would open, then squeeze in again. It was amazing!
We retraced our steps and the movement of the sun gave the red walls a new look. We only saw 2 or 3 miles of the 21 mile long Buckskin Gulch. Imagine spending a few days to experience the whole thing!
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| Hike route through Wire Pass and into Buckskin Gulch |
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| An easy & scenic stroll through the first part of Wire Pass |
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| Looking into the narrow slot where choke stones forced us to detour |
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| The junction of Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch |
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| Buckskin Gulch |
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| Buckskin Gulch |
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| Buckskin Gulch |
Pipe Spring National Monument...
A
visit to the nearby National Monument was a perfect adventure on a dreary weather day. Pipe
Spring National Monument is only 20 miles from Kanab, just past Fredonia
Arizona.
“Beneath Vermilion Cliffs, American Indians, Mormon ranchers, plants, animals, and many others have depended on the life-giving water found at the desert oasis at Pipe Spring.” We spent some time in the interpretive center learning about how the natives and the Mormons survived in the high desert.
Then a Ranger took us a personal tour of the fortification, "Winsor Castle". The Mormons built it in 1872 over the spring itself which infuriated the Paiute tribe. The Mormons used the area for a large cattle ranch.
“In 1923, the Pipe Spring ranch was purchased and set aside as a national monument to be a memorial to western pioneer life.” Today, the waters from the spring are divided equally between the Paiute, a cattle ranch and the National Park Service.
“Beneath Vermilion Cliffs, American Indians, Mormon ranchers, plants, animals, and many others have depended on the life-giving water found at the desert oasis at Pipe Spring.” We spent some time in the interpretive center learning about how the natives and the Mormons survived in the high desert.
Then a Ranger took us a personal tour of the fortification, "Winsor Castle". The Mormons built it in 1872 over the spring itself which infuriated the Paiute tribe. The Mormons used the area for a large cattle ranch.
“In 1923, the Pipe Spring ranch was purchased and set aside as a national monument to be a memorial to western pioneer life.” Today, the waters from the spring are divided equally between the Paiute, a cattle ranch and the National Park Service.
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| Pipe Spring National Monument is just 20 miles from Kanab |
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| Entering the historic site |
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| Approaching the Winsor Castle gate |
In the courtyard. The Ranger was explaining that the large door allowed horses and wagons to enter. The small door was just for people.
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| The courtyard |
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| View from the second floor. Note the telegraph sign. |
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| Our Ranger guide pointing out bullet holes in the wall |
We wanted pictures of Zion dressed in snow.
Plan A was to drive to the east entrance of Zion National Park and do a hike. It is an easy 30 mile drive from Kanab. We were going to drive up, park at the Stave Spring Trailhead and hike to Cable Mountain as we have before. However, as soon as the road turned from paved to dirt, we could feel our tires sliding in the wet red mud. The recent snow and rain had turned it to gumbo. It was not worth the risk so we turned around.
Onto Plan B... Plan B was to drive through the Zion Mont Carmel tunnel and down the switchbacks, turn north along the Virgin River to the East Overlook Trailhead, and hike up as far as we could. First, as soon as we passed through the east gate, we became aware of a huge increase in traffic and folks milling about on the roadside and at trailheads - many lots and pull-offs were full.
How was this possible at the end of November? We’re so accustomed to areas being quiet during shoulder season. But it was the weekend and the population centers of St George, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas are within a few hours drive. We were disappointed but not too surprised that the only way up the Zion Valley Scenic Drive was by tour bus.
Onto Plan C… We just parked at the visitor Center and climbed the Watchman that starts nearby. The route is about three miles round trip and climbs nearly 400 feet. The view across the beautiful Virgin River valley and up towards the imposing 6,400 to 7,800 foot high multi-colored sandstone cliffs is one of the best! We took a lengthy break on a ledge to appreciate it all. Amazingly, we had the area to ourselves.
The day did not go according to plan, but any day in Zion is a great day!
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| Approaching the east entrance to Zion National Park |
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| Midway up the Watchman Trail. The West Temple, 7,810ft high, has fresh snow on it. |
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| At the top of the Watchman Trail |
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| Such an incredible view across the Virgin River valley to the lofty sandstone cliffs |
Best Friends Animal Society...
This
was our second year to visit Best Friends.
The first time was in 2013. All
the details are in our Kanab, October 2013 blog. We have always wanted to return.
In 1984, the 31 founders purchased 3,000 acres in Angel Canyon to relocate their no-kill sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals. It is now 3,700 acres and they are the largest no-kill animal facility in the country. They are a model for many facilities and even have workshops for those that want to start their own shelter.
At any given time up to 1,600 animals reside there. They have a staff of 400 professionals, including seven full time veterinarians, making them the largest employer in the county. Every year there are also 12,000 volunteers that help take care of the animals. In conjunction with the other Best Friend Facilities across the country they rescue and rehome 80,000 animals a year. They have an incredible 80% adoption rate. Even if an animal has trouble finding a forever home, they can live out their lives comfortably at Best Friends.
In 1984, the 31 founders purchased 3,000 acres in Angel Canyon to relocate their no-kill sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals. It is now 3,700 acres and they are the largest no-kill animal facility in the country. They are a model for many facilities and even have workshops for those that want to start their own shelter.
At any given time up to 1,600 animals reside there. They have a staff of 400 professionals, including seven full time veterinarians, making them the largest employer in the county. Every year there are also 12,000 volunteers that help take care of the animals. In conjunction with the other Best Friend Facilities across the country they rescue and rehome 80,000 animals a year. They have an incredible 80% adoption rate. Even if an animal has trouble finding a forever home, they can live out their lives comfortably at Best Friends.
In addition to domestic pets, they also take in farm animals and some wildlife. During our visit, there were about 40 horses, mules, donkeys, 12 goats, and 35 pigs. We hear that the pigs are a lot of fun to work with. We’ve never been able to get on the schedule to work there – it's quite popular! For our next trip we’ll have to plan farther in advance.
It’s very easy to volunteer. There is a quick 15 minute film you have to watch. You sign up for a specific area and then the staff at the area will give you further instructions. You can sign up to work a 4 hour morning or 4 hour afternoon shift. We worked almost 70 hours over our three weeks in the area. We worked in four different areas but we enjoy working in Dog Town the most.
If we worked both the morning and afternoon shift, we’d eat at their café. It features an all you can eat vegan buffet for $5. Not only is the food tasty, the views are incredible, and you're surrounded by fellow animal lovers.
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| This is the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country |
Best Friends rescued 2,000 pets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Best Friends saved 22 of Michael Vick’s fighting dogs and was able to rehabilitate and adopt most of them. The others lived out their lives at Best Friends.
Cats...
We worked our first shift in Cat World. At any given time they have 500 to 600 cats. Cat World is a complex of about 10 buildings. Each building has center area where the staff works and then a number of cat rooms that consist of an interior room and a “catio”. The cats can go inside and outside whenever they choose. The “catios” have wooden beams and cat condos for them to climb around in and rafters for the feral cats to hang out.
We spent the first part of the shift cleaning litter boxes. The catios probably average 10-15 cats and there were 5-10 litter boxes in each one. The boxes are cleaned once or twice a day. So even though there are so many cats, it does not smell like it. We also changed out/fluffed the many cat beds, dusted, swept and mopped. Then we just sat and socialized with the kitties - which is highly encouraged! Staff member, Allison, spent time telling us stories about each cat.
We worked our first shift in Cat World. At any given time they have 500 to 600 cats. Cat World is a complex of about 10 buildings. Each building has center area where the staff works and then a number of cat rooms that consist of an interior room and a “catio”. The cats can go inside and outside whenever they choose. The “catios” have wooden beams and cat condos for them to climb around in and rafters for the feral cats to hang out.
We spent the first part of the shift cleaning litter boxes. The catios probably average 10-15 cats and there were 5-10 litter boxes in each one. The boxes are cleaned once or twice a day. So even though there are so many cats, it does not smell like it. We also changed out/fluffed the many cat beds, dusted, swept and mopped. Then we just sat and socialized with the kitties - which is highly encouraged! Staff member, Allison, spent time telling us stories about each cat.
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| One of the rewards for cats is time in a tent |
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| Lots of places for the kitties to hang out |
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| Some cats liked to be brushed |
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| Giving the kitties a little lovin |
Bunnies...
We spent an afternoon shift at Bunny HQ. There can be anywhere from 80 to 130 bunnies. Most of the bunnies are rescued from hoarding situations. Rabbits can have a litter of 12 kits. And the rabbit is ready to get pregnant again as soon as the next day and only has a gestation period of 31 days. That’s a lot of baby bunnies! The bunnies are all spayed or neutered as soon as they arrive at Best Friends.
The bunnies are separated into compatible pairs. They form very strong bonds so if you want to adopt one, you have to adopt the pair. Each pair lived in its own pen and can go outside and inside by the means of a tunnel.
We cleaned the outside pens. Then put down fresh clean layers of towels and blankets. I spent a little time sitting in a pen hand-feeding a big black bunny named Paul Bunyan. Plus, Paula the staff member, spent time telling us all about bunnies and introducing us to individual pairs. We appreciated her passion for the furry critters.
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| The Bunny House has 130 rabbits and a few guinea pigs |
They can freely go inside and outside. Most pens have two bunnies which bond. Bunnies are spayed or neutered immediately. The main reason they end up there is overbreeding… duh!
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| Lots of bunny cuteness! |
10 billion is a low estimate! A regular volunteer makes a different shirt every year.
Birds...
We
spent a morning at the Parrot House.
They have 120 birds. Most of the
birds come from situations where the bird’s owner dies. Most folks don’t realize how long
parrots and other birds can live. The
Parrot House does a good job of screening applicants when finding homes for the
birds. They had 80 adoptions last year!
Birds take turns in a huge indoor atrium for a daily treat. There are also a number of outdoor atriums. Like with the other animals at Best Friends, it's important to provide "stimulation" for the birds. But it was too chilly while we were there for tropical birds to be outside.
We started the day by cleaning all of the bird’s water and food bowls. Then we cleaned the interior parrot cages. The parrots are kept separate because they will easily bond with other birds and it is easier to find a home for one bird rather than two. Then, we cleaned the large room-size cages that house other sorts of birds.
Finally, we spent time socializing with the birds. They are amazingly intelligent and definitely have unique personalities.
Birds take turns in a huge indoor atrium for a daily treat. There are also a number of outdoor atriums. Like with the other animals at Best Friends, it's important to provide "stimulation" for the birds. But it was too chilly while we were there for tropical birds to be outside.
We started the day by cleaning all of the bird’s water and food bowls. Then we cleaned the interior parrot cages. The parrots are kept separate because they will easily bond with other birds and it is easier to find a home for one bird rather than two. Then, we cleaned the large room-size cages that house other sorts of birds.
Finally, we spent time socializing with the birds. They are amazingly intelligent and definitely have unique personalities.
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| Just one of the many interesting things we learned about the birds |
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| Our day started with washing all of the birds' food dishes |
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| At 62, Paco is the oldest critter in the sanctuary |
Cleaning the cages is a dirty job but it’s pretty cool to interact with the birds
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| These guys like people! |
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| In warm weather many of the birds are kept outside |
Dogs...
We
spent the majority of our time in Dog Town.
Most shifts were spent walking dogs.
But we also fed dogs and washed food bowls. On a given shift, we could walk up to five
dogs and four miles. In addition, we
took some dogs out for car rides and outings around the Angel Canyon area. We did pick up some dog poop but considering
there are about 400 dogs, we didn’t pick up that much. When you walk the dogs, you don’t have to
pick up their poop. They want you to
concentrate on socializing with the dog and to not be distracted in anyway.
We worked in several different dog houses. The dog houses are set up with a central staff room with dog runs running off in each direction. That way the staff member can keep an eye on all the dogs. There are 16 dog houses. They try to pair each dog up with one or two other compatible pooches.
There are green collar dogs that can be handled by anyone, purple collar dogs who have issues such as food guarding and can only be handled by adults who are comfortable with them. Then there are red collar dogs that can only be handled by staff members.
The staff works with the red collar dogs to help them overcome whatever their issue might be. Even if they never get to the point where they are adoptable, they have a home for the rest of their natural lives at Best Friends.
What impresses us most about Dog Town is the staff that works there. They know the names, the history, and the personalities of each dog under their care. Staffers like Tom and Craig who work almost exclusively with red collar dogs are admirable for their dedication to these challenging pups.
This year, we worked some unique shifts at the Dog Trailer. Fred is a special volunteer and works at Best Friends full time. He set up the trailer as an overflow area for dogs that he finds in nearby animal shelters. Plus, if "Admissions" is full, new dogs are taken to the trailer for initial screening till room can be found in the other dog houses.
For our first shifts at the trailer, we took care of a couple of senior dogs, a huge malamute, a high energy pit bull, and a sweet mutt named Snickerdoodle. The senior dogs went to Old Friends, the malamute was able to go home, and the pit bull and Snickerdoodle earned green colors and went to the Garden.
On our last few days, we helped Fred set up the trailer for a pack of four dogs he had saved in Arizona. All four dogs were down to their last few days.
We were there to welcome the dogs, give them a meal and get them out for a good walk. Also, we were given the honor of naming them. In accordance with Best Friends tradition, we picked a theme for the names. Our theme was Utah geological sites: Powell, Bonneville, Tropic, and Aquarius. There were two other dogs, Summit and Keebler, who were there due to other situations and already had names.
We could have happily left there with a few new companions. We’ll be back to find a forever furry friend after we settle into a home.
We worked in several different dog houses. The dog houses are set up with a central staff room with dog runs running off in each direction. That way the staff member can keep an eye on all the dogs. There are 16 dog houses. They try to pair each dog up with one or two other compatible pooches.
There are green collar dogs that can be handled by anyone, purple collar dogs who have issues such as food guarding and can only be handled by adults who are comfortable with them. Then there are red collar dogs that can only be handled by staff members.
The staff works with the red collar dogs to help them overcome whatever their issue might be. Even if they never get to the point where they are adoptable, they have a home for the rest of their natural lives at Best Friends.
What impresses us most about Dog Town is the staff that works there. They know the names, the history, and the personalities of each dog under their care. Staffers like Tom and Craig who work almost exclusively with red collar dogs are admirable for their dedication to these challenging pups.
This year, we worked some unique shifts at the Dog Trailer. Fred is a special volunteer and works at Best Friends full time. He set up the trailer as an overflow area for dogs that he finds in nearby animal shelters. Plus, if "Admissions" is full, new dogs are taken to the trailer for initial screening till room can be found in the other dog houses.
For our first shifts at the trailer, we took care of a couple of senior dogs, a huge malamute, a high energy pit bull, and a sweet mutt named Snickerdoodle. The senior dogs went to Old Friends, the malamute was able to go home, and the pit bull and Snickerdoodle earned green colors and went to the Garden.
On our last few days, we helped Fred set up the trailer for a pack of four dogs he had saved in Arizona. All four dogs were down to their last few days.
We were there to welcome the dogs, give them a meal and get them out for a good walk. Also, we were given the honor of naming them. In accordance with Best Friends tradition, we picked a theme for the names. Our theme was Utah geological sites: Powell, Bonneville, Tropic, and Aquarius. There were two other dogs, Summit and Keebler, who were there due to other situations and already had names.
We could have happily left there with a few new companions. We’ll be back to find a forever furry friend after we settle into a home.
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| Dog outing with Aakar |
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| Dog outing with Snickerdoodle |
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| We liked Snickerdoodle - almost brought him home! |
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| Jon Snow was a big cuddly malamute |
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| It took two people to walk him! |
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| Dog outing with Rad |
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"Walking" Sherman |
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| About 12" of snow fell on the sanctuary on Thanksgiving |
Next…
We spent time at Valley of Fire State Park NV and are now in Boulder City NV hanging out with good friends. Our next stops are Sedona AZ and Holbrook AZ.
Parting shots…
We spent time at Valley of Fire State Park NV and are now in Boulder City NV hanging out with good friends. Our next stops are Sedona AZ and Holbrook AZ.
Parting shots…
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| This is “Forest Gump Hill” along US 163 just north of Monument Valley |
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| There is a nice 3 mile long trail around Jackson Flat Reservoir on the south edge of Kanab |
This is the view from the Best Friends cafeteria. The dirt road goes through Angel Canyon at the sanctuary. Slickrock country covered in snow is pretty special.
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