This story appears in the August 2026 issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.
It’s not serendipity that Kanab and the surrounding red rock vistas of Kane County are starting to summit the peak of Utah’s experience economy, but for a town of about 5,300 residents, the climb comes with much to consider. Known for decades as “Little Hollywood” thanks to the westerns filmed among its slot canyons and desert plateaus, the area has used that name recognition as a launching pad for something bigger.
Kane County is experiencing a full-blown experiential tourism boom built on luxury lodging, Dark Sky stargazing and countless additional ways to experience the outdoors, and local leaders are navigating a balancing act to preserve the natural beauty and identity that Kanab became known for.
From backdrop to base camp
It was the area’s film history that provided the resources and local cachet that turned Kanab and its surrounding national parks into tourist-savvy destinations. Kelly Stowell, executive director of Kane County’s Center for Education, Business and the Arts for Kane County and commissioner of the Kane County Film Commission, has watched that transformation firsthand.
“There is a correlation between what people see on the screen and where they want to be,” Stowell says. “It’s a magical place to be, and it’s a haven for creativity. That’s why we’re seeing a lot of experiential resorts — people want to decompress and be in a slower-paced environment in a beautiful place where we have really good food and hospitality.”
Stowell points to the area’s growing reputation for dining, hospitality and commerce as a key part of why visitors are choosing to linger in Kanab instead of just passing through on their way to a national park, though the proximity is a plus.
Janette Peatross, director of tourism for Kane County, is from Kanab and got a first-hand look at the city’s evolving tourism industry. After growing up working in her father’s gift shop and seeing the hustle and bustle of Little Hollywood, she came to see the appeal of Kanab’s central location.
“We call ourselves a base camp because we’re in such close vicinity to all the parks that are surrounding us,” Peatross says. “You can stay in Kanab and do day trips out to Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell. We’re just surrounded.”
A destination, not a detour
Kanab’s growing experiential tourism allows visitors to easily indulge in outdoor activities, and the area caters to every speed. Visitors looking for high-energy activities can drive to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park for sandboarding, ATV riding and dirt biking across a sea of sand. Closer to town, the Sand Caves offer an easy, family-friendly hike with desert views framed by window-like openings in the rock.
Lodging itself has also become an experience. Over the next few years, the Kanab area will welcome a full slate of luxury housing and resorts, such as premium housing development and luxury gated communities like Catori Canyon and Ventana Resort & Residences. With the popularity of glamping, many resorts have also started using tents or yurts.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is both an economic anchor and an experiential tourism destination, complete with pet-friendly lodging. It’s the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary and welcomes more than 30,000 visitors a year.
After a busy day of activities, the unhurried, community-oriented pace of life makes the small city a charming hub that welcomes travelers back from their journeys.
Nightlife in Kane County looks different than what visitors might expect. Instead of bars or entertainment districts, the main attraction is the night sky itself. Utah is home to the highest concentration of certified Dark Sky Places in the world. Kane County is leaning into that distinction with astrotourism, and local resorts are creating dark-sky viewing areas, fire pits and other amenities.
“Your nightlife might be going out and seeing the stars and embracing that quietness and aloneness,” Peatross says.
Once a year, Kanab’s night sky gets some competition. The annual hot air balloon festival, Balloons and Tunes Roundup, sends dozens of hot air balloons into the sky every February above Kanab’s red cliffs. The festival is accompanied by live music, vendors and an evening balloon glow where grounded balloons are illuminated by their burners, turning them into glowing lanterns.
A balancing act
While the millions of visitors to nearby national parks are a benefit to Kanab and nearby towns, county leadership is mindful of welcoming growth while preserving the area’s iconic natural beauty and historic identity.
The Parry Lodge, which has been in operation for nearly a century, once hosted Hollywood types like John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and remains a contemporary connection to those bygone years of classic American westerns. “There’s still the quaintness that … made the town really walkable,” Peatross says. “Even the younger generation, like my kids who don’t really know the movies, just like the style and the vibe.”
Preserving that character requires real intention, especially as the pace of tourism development continues to accelerate. “It’s a balancing act, and we definitely don’t want to lose ranching, farming and timber harvesting — and filmmaking is right along with that heritage,” Stowell says. “But we also need to be innovative for the future.”
That philosophy is already showing up in practice. Kanab’s city council enacted an outdoor lighting ordinance to protect the area’s natural darkness, and the nonprofit Stellar Vista Observatory — breaking ground on a public observatory this year — runs a “Kane County Friends of the Night Sky” program that enlists local businesses in reducing light pollution.
Visitors to Kanab and Kane County can rest assured the area’s “Abra Kanabra” magic remains. “We welcome the world,” Stowell says. “Come visit our iconic landscapes and be a part of our community.”