Kanab Creek Wilderness
One of the major tributaries of the Colorado River, Kanab Creek is the largest tributary canyon system on the north side of the Grand Canyon. From its origin about 50 miles north in southern Utah, Kanab Creek and its feeder streams have cut a network of gorges with vertical walls deep into the Kanab and Kaibab Plateaus. Above the canyon rims, the land is arid and the vegetation sparse, consisting mostly of desert shrub blackbush and sagebrush. In the creek bottom, you'll find walls sculpted by wind and water into a maze of fins, knobs, and potholes, surrounded by riparian vegetation. Elevations range from 2,000 feet at the river to about 6,000 feet on the rim, and snow often falls in winter.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 68,231 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.55° N, 112.57° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 2 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 1 miKanab Creek Wilderness ↗Backpacking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
9 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 64 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger ↗ | 25.9 | |
| Snake Gulch ↗ | 17.4 | |
| Jumpup/Nail ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Gooseneck | 4.1 | |
| Horse Spring Trail | 3.9 | |
| Hack/Lawson | 1.7 | |
| Hack Canyon | 1.3 | |
| Hack Canyon | 1.3 | |
| Swapp | 1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedCy26 Nkrd- Misc Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 2 acres
- PrescribedMt Trumbull Fuel Break Pile Rx
33 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.1 miBrow Monument ↗Big Springs, AZ
- 4.5 miLittle Mountain Lookout Tree ↗Fredonia, AZ
- 5.5 miBig Springs Ranger Station ↗Big Springs, AZ
- 5.7 miBig Springs Lookout Tower ↗Big Springs, AZ
- 6.7 miFracas Lookout Tree ↗Fredonia, AZ
- 8.1 miJacob Lake Ranger Station ↗Jacob Lake, AZ
- 9.1 miJacob Lake Lookout Tower ↗Jacob Lake, AZ
- 9.1 miCooper Ridge Lookout Tree ↗Fredonia, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Kanab Creek Wilderness?
68,231 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Kanab Creek Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Kanab Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Kanab Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.554° N, 112.571° W. Pipe Spring National Monument is 15 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Kanab Creek Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Cy26 Nkrd- Misc Piles Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Pipe Spring National Monument (15 mi) and Old Spanish National Historic Trail (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Kanab Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including Brow Monument and Little Mountain Lookout Tree.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.