Kanab UT-White Pockets and Slot Canyons

On Thursday we headed to Kanab UT, which is a short 85 miles away, we pulled into Kanab RV Corral shortly after the office opened. While the sites here are definitely small with not much room between rigs it's the nicest park in Kanab. Site 14 isn't right on US 89A so the noise level is less than those right on the road. After getting set up we took a quick ride through town getting our bearings. Kanab has grown since we were last here, more hotels are going up and you can see new town buildings and parks that have been built in the last few years.

 Since we did not win permits to The Wave on a friends recommendation we had scheduled a tour with Dreamland Safari Tours for Friday to the area known as White Pockets. We are glad we chose to go by tour instead of taking our large dually on the washboard, rutted roads that go out there. It was an all day tour with the tour company supplying lunch, snacks and all the water we needed, our tour guide Scott was great.

When we arrived he guided us through the area with one real piece of advice...don't go in the sand and you won't get lost. Once we were familiar with the area we all went our own way meeting back at the vehicle for lunch after which we all headed back to get more pictures as the sun moved across the sky.

Saturday we took a down day, cold and rainy, love those kind of days hanging out in the rv with the fireplace going and spending the day in sweats.

Sunday we decided to take a ride to the Toadstool area, this area is nearer to Page and the parking lot is just off of RT 89. A short .6 mile hike and we reached the Toadstool area.

Dentate Stink Beetle

We then headed out Johnson Canyon Rd a very scenic western movie reminiscent area. Actually many westerns have been filmed in the Kanab area and the set from TV series Gunsmoke was here.


After 15 miles Johnson Canyon Rd turns to dirt, we had hoped to do some hiking out there but it decided to rain and we didn't want to chance getting stuck way out in the middle of nowhere.

Monday we  thought we'd visit Zion NP again, a number of years ago we stayed in the park for a few days and enjoyed our visit there. We were doing fine until we got to the gate where they informed us we would need an escort because we were too wide, at $15 one way we decided to forsake seeing Zion this time and turned around and wandered home. We did go through Pink Coral Sand Dune State Park, while the sand dunes were beautiful this place is more for those with ATV's and OHV's, the campground was full of them. Not only that but the sites were small  and tight, not a place for us.

Monday late afternoon we headed out to the Pahreah Town Site. Pahreah was settled in 1865 by Mormon pioneers, the settlement was abandoned 40 years later because of frequent flooding. An old cemetery is still there. The area was also featured in many westerns, the last movie being filmed in the area was "The Outlaw Josie Wales", not much is left there but the colors on the cliffs are amazing as the afternoon soon shines on them. 

We spent early Monday and Tuesday mornings trying to get walkin passes for the wave alas our number was never called. Tuesday after our try we headed to Wirepass Slot Canyon which joins Buckskin Gulch a 20+ mile trail that just happens to have slot canyons where Wirepass trail intersects it. To access Wirepass Trail you need to travel 8 miles down Houserock Valley Rd to the parking area. Just a few of the many photos Dave took on our 7 mile hike.

If anyone knows what plant this it we'd love to know. What a heavenly smell it has, almost like a lilac.

Wednesday was a slow day, getting the blog caught up and getting the financials done were the priority. We like to give ourselves a rest in between hiking days though we did get out and get a 5 mile power walk in. Tomorrow we head to Cannonville UT where we just happen to be staying in the same park as MonaLiza and Steve of  The Lowe's RV Adventures.

Until next time...