The Belly of the Dragon — Attraction in Kanab

Roses are red, dirt is brown, let's go #hiking and out of town! 😛👍 Finally hiked this short and intriguing Belly Of The Dragon trail! Short, dark, man-made tunnel located between Orderville and Kanab, is an adventure that requires no hiking experience at all, our Nana was able to do it so can you! Drive 16 miles of US-89 north of Kanab, turn left into the dirt path of Barracks Road near East Fork Virgin River and follow the road for 0.25 miles. Stay on the left of the fork and you will see the tunnel’s entrance as you get closer to the parking area. From here, walk towards the entrance on your left and entering the tunnel requires an easy scramble down. Wear good shoes and be careful of the slippery and sandy rocks. Once passed, the walk is easy peasy! The #trail starts out like a key shape that looks like you are walking through a very large intestine of a massive dragon The tunnel has light at both ends. You won’t need a flashlight, but be extra careful. We used our phone flashlights to make sure we didn’t slip. The tunnel turns slightly left and then opens up to a narrow wash where we stopped and turned around. If you follow the wash for another mile, it will bring you to a slot canyon, but we didn’t...

The Belly of the Dragon is exactly like it sounds: a big tunnel that goes deep into the side of the hill, and it’s a really neat place to check out! If you’re driving down to/up from Kanab, it’s worth stopping by here for a few minutes (you don’t need to spend long) just to see another unique landmark in southern Utah. It’s not heavily visited, so don’t be surprised if you’re the only people there! We visited in the middle of the summer, and when places like Bryce Canyon and Zion Nat’l Park were packed with people, this felt like a secret hidden place that no one knew about…

Be aware you are in a flash flood-prone area, so always be careful and check the radar! Storms come in fast in this part of the country! Also, there are a decent amount of mosquitos (at least when we visited), especially after it rains because water tends to end up in this area. You have to do a tiny bit of climbing to get to the tunnel portion, so it won’t be suitable for everybody - specifically babies and elderly people! All in all though, it’s just a neat stop-over to takes pictures at before you continue on your way. Enjoy the Belly...

Fun and easy stop – great for all ages! This one’s super easy to access — you literally park right by the cave entrance. It’s a natural sandstone tunnel, and while it’s short, it’s a really cool spot to walk through.

There’s a small scramble down into the entrance, and the ground inside is uneven, so it helps to use your phone flashlight once you’re halfway in. Take your time — it’s an easy walk once you’re in the tunnel.

You can walk all the way through to the end of the tunnel and into the open canyon beyond. The path through the canyon is flat and easy to follow. When you reach the end of that trail, look for a small dirt path on the right-hand side — it climbs up to a nice overlook with a great view back toward the tunnel and canyon.

Overall, this is a fun, quick hike — about 10–15 minutes through the tunnel, or around 30 minutes total if you explore the canyon and overlook. Definitely worth a stop if you’re...