"Deep in the heart of Southern Utah, Kanab blends adventure and natural beauty effortlessly. It’s a place of crimson canyons meeting blue skies, ancient wonders, and warm local hospitality. Explore national parks, outdoor thrills, or savor serenity. " (Kanab Convention Center)

Kanab is surrounded by a variety of western geologic scenery ranging from coral pink cliffs and sand dunes, volcanic craters and lava flows to deep canyons, majestic mountains and plains. The natural beauty and consistently good weather of the Kanab area has made it a popular place to visit

From the Kanab City Website:

Kanab is the commercial center of a large farming, ranching and recreational community. The city of Kanab, county seat of Kane County, is often called "Little Hollywood" because of its film-making history over the years.

This town of 4,300 sits at the hub of the southwest's national parks and offers exciting vacation opportunities year round. Kanab is located 7 miles north of the Arizona border on U.S. Alternate 89, and is centrally located between Las Vegas, NV, Phoenix, AZ, Albuquerque, NM, Denver, CO and Salt Lake City, UT.

Kanab is surrounded by a variety of western geologic scenery ranging from coral pink cliffs and sand dunes, volcanic craters and lava flows to deep canyons, majestic mountains and plains. The natural beauty and consistently good weather of the Kanab area has made it a popular place to visit. Kanab is considered a popular hub location for visits to Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon National Parks, Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument and Lake Powell NRA (National Recreational Area). Other close-by national monuments and colorful state parks make Kanab a natural center with quality services for a week-end-get-away or an extended vacation to experience these exciting destinations and typical "Southwestern" recreational activities.

History

Named for a Paiute word meaning "place of the willows," Kanab was settled in 1864 when Fort Kanab was built on the east bank of Kanab Creek for defense against the Indians and as a base for the exploration of the area. Indian attacks forced the abandonment of the fort in 1866. In 1870, ten Mormon families moved into the fort and began to establish the present town. That same year Brigham Young, Prophet and President of the Mormon church, visited the area twice, making suggestions and supervising the town planning.

For many years Kanab was one of the most isolated cities in the nation. It was cut off from the east by the Colorado River and could only be reached with difficulty by rough dirt roads stretching over the rough terrain of the Arizona Strip west toward Las Vegas, NV. A twenty three mile journey north to Orderville, UT took nearly four days. Perhaps this isolation is why Zane Gray lived in the town while writing his Riders of the Purple Sage in 1912. Today, Kanab is a scenic tourist town with a friendly western spirit where tens of thousands of tourists stop to enjoy the "Old West" quality of life each year. The history in Kanab comes alive in the architecture of the old homes and buildings of the community.

For more Kanab, Utah facts, points of interest and visitor information, visit our Tourism website.

Kanab - Utah's Hollywood

From the Parry Lodge's website:

Starting in 1924 with the filming of Deadwood Coach, The Parry became a home away from home for countless film casts and crews, including golden age Hollywood royalty like John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood, Maureen O’Hara, Dean Martin, Roy Rogers and Ronald Reagan. Over the past century, the hotel has housed crews for over 100 films, including The Lone Ranger and The Outlaw Josey Wales, earning Kanab the title of “Little Hollywood”.

From Canyon's Boutique Hotel website:

Hollywood Arrives in Southern Utah

The sleepy town of Kanab was thrust into the spotlight in the early 1920s, as it became Utah’s Little Hollywood. Hollywood actually arrived in 1924, when actor Tom Mix and his co-star, Tony The Wonder Horse began filming “Deadwood Coach.” The film’s stunning scenery and popularity, coupled with a rising interest in Westerns, sparked a rush of filmmakers in Kanab.

Despite being one of the most remote towns in the continental U.SKanab quickly became a bustling hub of production. With just 2,500 year-round residents between the 1930s and 60s, many residents were in some way employed by the revolving door of film productions. Whether they were staffing the hotels, serving up food, or working directly on film sets, everyone got involved. The conservative Mormon population, who themselves chose not to drink, even opened new bars and restaurants to serve the actors, actresses, and film crews that frequented the area. Hollywood gave back to the town, too. Frank Sinatra famously funded a swimming pool to be built at the hotel he stayed at while filming with his Rat Pack, and paid for the local high school’s football uniforms.

Over several decades, more than 100 films and television shows were filmed in Utah’s Little Hollywood. For many years, multiple films were shot in the town. In 1957 alone, more than 10 films were shot.

Film production in Kanab continued to be incredibly popular through the 1960s. In the 1970s, it began to slow. While it may not be the production hub that it once was, films and other creations are still sometimes shot here. Most recently scenes from the 2012 film “John Carter,” the 2014 film “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” and the 2013 films “Gravity” and “The Lone Ranger” were shot in Kanab.

You can still experience Utah’s Little Hollywood and its rich history at the Little Hollywood Museum.

Visiting Utah’s Little Hollywood Today

If you want to experience Utah’s Little Hollywood for yourself, you’ll want to start at the Little Hollywood Museum. The museum is home to a number of movie sets, where you can imagine historic blockbusters being filmed under the hot summer sun.

In addition to exploring the film sets, you can also watch a live performance of the skit “How the West Was Lost.” See a production come to life on a set that was once home to some of Hollywood’s biggest films! After exploring the museum, you can also stop by the Gift Shop to shop for Native American jewelry and other souvenirs.

The Little Hollywood Museum and Gift Shop are open seasonally from March to December.

Planning Your Visit to Utah’s Little Hollywood

Whether you have an interest in filmmaking or a passion for old westerns, you’ll definitely want to plan a visit to Utah’s Little Hollywood. Besides visiting the museum, you can also drive through the town to look for peaks and landscapes that you recognize from your favorite films!