Kanab, Utah - The Wave and Little Hollywood

Next stop on Bambi's northern trek is Kanab, Utah ... unfortunately not far enough north nor high enough in altitude to achieve cooler temperatures.  We've found an RV park with electrical connection (important for running the absolutely necessary air conditoning) in Kanab.

We checked out the Grand Staircase Escalante BLM Visitor's Center this morning to find about the lottery for hiking permits to The Wave ... an apparently amazing sandstone structure that is a photographer's delight.  Only 20 people are allowed in each day, 10 by an online application process and 10 by a lottery held each day.  Odds are better in-person because the online process is a lottery drawn from applicants from around the world (four months in advance) and the in-person lottery process is drawn from people who are actually present at the Visitor's Center in the early morning when the lottery is drawn at 9:00 a.m.  We decided to not even try the lottery as the temperatures are brutally hot and would be even hotter on the rocky trail with no shade, but it was interesting to see the process ... 80 applicants entered the lottery today for 10 spots for a permit to hike tomorrow (when the temperature in town will exceed 100 and 10 degrees hotter on the trail ... likely hottest day of the year in Utah).  We hope to try out the online application for cooler temperatures later in the year.

Then, off for a scenic tour of Kanab.  Paul stayed in Kanab 46 years ago with his first wife, Janice, at the Parry Motor Lodge ... and, the Parry Lodge is still in operation (as the pictures demonstrate) and we had lunch at the Parry and saw the pictures of the Hollywood stars who stayed at the Parry while filming.  Part of our scenic tour of Kanab was a trip to Little Hollywood, a location for old movie sets that have been used in old western movies and television shows.  The sidewalks of the street are lined with plaques commemorating past stars of movie and television who have filmed on movie sets in and around Kanab.

The town appears to be on the brink of new tourist money as at least three new chain hotels are under construction ... perhaps being at the nexus to three national parks (Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon) is driving the tourist-oriented expansion.   The town could benefit from a new RV park that has some space and natural terrain for the campers ... our current RV park, while having all of the amenities (electric, water and sewer ... along with a pool, laundry and showers), is as crowded as the Metro at rush hour ...

All of the touring of Kanab has made us eager to see an old Western ... perhaps an episode of Gunsmoke or The Lone Ranger is in our future.

All Bambi wants is to head further north so that his air conditioner doesn't have to work so hard ...