Abra Kanabra

Joanna Lobo

There’s a saying in the United States of America that the true identifier of a small town is that it should either have a mom-and-pop store, or a dollar store. Kanab has both. Tucked away in the southwest corner of Utah, Kanab is a charming little town surrounded by a desert, cliffs, and rocky outcropping. With just 5,000 people, it is smaller than your average neighbourhood in Mumbai.

Kanab’s Attractions

• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary: The largest no-kill sanctuary in the state, it is open for public tours through the day.
• Don’t forget to visit Angel’s Rest (the animal cemetery) and Hidden Lake.
• Eating out: Besides Rocking V Cafe and Sunny Creek Coffee, there’s Sego, the upscale restaurant where Chef Shon Foster serves new American cuisine.
• The Heritage House: Originally completed in 1894, the residence of Henry Bowman and his family was called ‘the first modern home in Kane Country’, and serves as a historical site depicting Utah’s pioneers.

Travel tips

• Best time to visit: September to December for fall/winter. April to June for spring.
• Accommodation: There are plenty of options for various budgets. Canyons Boutique Hotel is a boutique-style place with four poster beds and fireplaces.
• How to reach: Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is the closest airport and a five-hour drive away.

It is often the base camp for travellers keen on exploring its surroundings. Kanab is at a stone’s throw from the stunning geological landmarks of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Parks, Vermilion Cliffs National Monuments, Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Lake Powell. That’s why the town is often called the ‘heart of the parks’.

Kanab is a small town with one long main street. To begin my exploration, I head down to an important piece of the town’s history, Parry Lodge. The Parry Brothers turned a small farmhouse into a roadside motel in 1931. Over the years, the place has been home to film crews and cast shooting in the town and is known for its breakfast. Today, it’s a more upscale boutique property, and outside its white façade, there are plaques commemorating

Kanab’s film heritage.

Kanab’s history dates back to the 19th century. It is named after the Native American (Paiute) word for ‘place of the willows’. In 1870, 10 Mormon families moved into Fort Kanab, and thus began the journey of the present town. For years, Kanab was an isolated place, cut away from the rest of the world by the Colorado river, deep canyons and gorges. In the 1920s, Hollywood came calling, attracted to the beauty of this desert town and its stunning landscapes. Filmmakers started flocking to the region, and it became the site of more than 200 Westerns and TV series — starting with the film, ‘Deadwood Coach’, in 1924 — thus earning it the nickname of ‘Little Hollywood’. The plaques share details of some of the stars that graced the town (and the lodge) over the years — John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood and Dean Martin.

After filling up on film history, I make my way down the main street, admiring the new and old shops. On the way, I pass a cutout of a cowboy. At the Brown Box Bakeshop, there are cookies, ice-cream, and cutesy merchandise linked to Kanab, including some lovely Christmas ornaments. A family sits in front of the fireplace, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. It feels like I’m in someone’s well-decorated home.

It being a relatively warm day, I choose to have lunch outside, on the patio attached to Sunny Creek Coffee. This local coffee shop is a favourite for those seeking a quick, wholesome snack.

Down the road is the Little Hollywood Land Museum, announcing itself by a cowboy seated on a white horse. The museum is shut, so I take a detour to Nature’s Showcase. It is, to put it simply, a rock shop selling gemstones, rocks, fossils on display, and an astonishing variety of sandstone products.

There’s much shopping that can be done here. There are thrift stores; Honey’s Marketplace where I find Rusty, the famous talking truck welcoming customers to the store; and finally, Duke’s Clothing. It could be considered a mom-and-pop store, selling discounted branded clothes. I manage to find myself a formal dress, and purchase it for a steal.

Most of my time in Kanab is spent exploring the surrounding areas, but I do enjoy returning to this quiet town and learning about its history. Close to Duke’s is Rocking V Café, which proclaims itself as Utah’s ‘best’. The century-old building was once home to the only ice machine in southern Utah, which blew up and ruined their basement. It was also a post office and the cubby holes now hold wine bottles; and upstairs is an art gallery showcasing local talent. It’s a place that is a microcosm of Kanab, celebrating the old while welcoming the new. There’s definitely something magical about Kanab. That’s why one of the tourism board’s official slogans is ‘Abra Kanabra’.