Spotlight: southern Utah - Kanarraville Falls

Spotlight: Kanarraville Falls is one of my favorite hikes. First of all, I love waterfalls, and Kanarraville has several of them. Second, the canyon is just gorgeous! I'd heard about the hike years ago, but my daughter reminded me of it when she hiked it while attending school at SUU. The popularity of the hike has soared in recent years due to exposure in social media - so much so that an $8 fee was recently added in an effort to discourage hikers from coming in. The excessive travel up and down the canyon is having an impact on the flora and fauna. Also, the huge influx of visitors to the tiny town has caused problems such as parking in unauthorized locations and contamination of the water supply. Therefore, if you go, please park in designated areas and follow the principles of "Leave No Trace."

fall colors

Location: Kanarraville is a tiny town along I-15 in southern Utah, about 13 miles south of Cedar City. The trailhead is located on the eastern side of town on 100 North just past 300 East.

Cost: $8 for a hiking permit; $10 for parking

Time: The hike will take about 2-4 hours, depending on the hiking skills of those in your group.

Description: The hike is officially 4.8 miles, but can be shorter or longer depending on how far up the canyon you go. The hike ranges from moderate to strenuous. For the first part of the hike, you hike along a dirt road. It eventually turns into a trail that crosses the creek several times. Eventually, the creek becomes the trail. When you reach the first waterfall, you can either climb the wooden ladder with metal struts, or turn back. When you come to the second waterfall, you can scale the large boulder on the right using the rope that is attached there. Further up the creek you will need to climb over several boulders that are slick with moss. Eventually you will arrive at a rickety wooden ladder that is somewhat sketchy. This is where we turned around. Along the way, take time to take photos of the gorgeous scenery on either side of the creek.

steep trail down the side of a hill

Crossing the river

Following the "trail"

the "first" waterfall

climbing the ladder

the "second" falls

the "third" falls

the "fourth" falls

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Your GPS may tell you to head up the dirt road, but it is closed to regular traffic.
- Wear close-toed shoes that you don't mind getting wet. While you can keep them dry for the first half of the hike, eventually you'll have to hike in the river. Just be careful about stepping on mossy rocks. I almost fell a couple of times, and my sister-in-law did.
- The best time to hike this trail is during the summer or a hot spring or autumn day. We went mid-October and the water was freezing.
- Bring dry socks and a second pair of shoes to change into once you get back to the car.
- This is a challenging hike because of the water factor. There are also wooden ladders and ropes to get up a couple of sections that can be difficult for small children or people with balance issues.
- You can purchase the permit online or at the kiosk at the trailhead. The permit can only be purchased with credit cards or debit cards.
- Use the restrooms located at the trail head so as not to contaminate the water in the canyon.
- Dogs are not allowed in the canyon.
- This hike reminds me of the Virgin Narrows more than any other hike I've been on. With that in mind, it would be wise to check the weather upstream before hiking. You wouldn't want to hike it if there was danger of a flash flood.

Nearby: Zion National Park, Quichapa Lake, Cedar Breaks NM, Brian Head