If it were possible to describe Kane County in but a few words, they would be: A natural wonder.
Starting with the fact that many of the state's treasures reach inside county boundaries . . . Zion and Bryce national parks, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
What you know:
Millions upon millions of people have seen landmarks within Kane County, but only a small percentage actually know it or have set foot on county soil.
More than 70 major movie makers have used the county landscape for their movies, bringing into the communities the likes of such stars as Tom Mix, John Wayne, Clint Walker, Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood and Charlton Heston, to name but a few.
Movies made include such classics as "Stagecoach," "Sergeants III," "The Outlaw Josey Wales," and "Maverick." Other than Kane County, the only place where more western movies have been made is California.
East of Kanab, the county's main city, is Johnson Canyon. The movie set used for the "Gunsmoke" TV series, shot between the 1950s and 1970s, still stands on private land and can be seen from the road running up the canyon.
Two of the state's most popular tourist stops are within the county borders — Lake Powell and Zion National Park.
The most identified landmark in the county is, of course, Lake Powell. The county borders run down the center of the lake, from a point a few miles northeast of Halls Crossing all the way down to the Utah/Arizona border near Page.
This puts Bullfrog, Dangling Rope and Stateline, which bumps up against Wahweap, within county lines.
The lake draws more than two million visitors a year to enjoy a number of activities, ranging from fishing to water-skiing to camping on the shores in tents and houseboats.
Consensus among its early planners was that Lake Powell would be a relatively boring place. Not much to do but drown worms and watch water evaporate.
They expected to see a few people — mostly fishermen — and a whole lot of water.
Instead, it has been anything but boring. One reason is that despite the many people on a waterway only 190 miles long (from dam to Colorado River inlet), traffic typically isn't a problem. Not with 2,500 miles of shoreline and a thousand off-shoot canyons.
And, more than two million visitors a year stop in to see the wonders of Zion. Only a small portion of the park is actually in the county, but the part that is includes the East Entrance.
The southern tip of Bryce fits within county lines. The park itself is 18 miles long, from entrance to Rainbow Point. There it dead-ends. Along the way are a dozen viewing stops, and from each is a hiking trail complete with interpretive information. The 18-mile road to the south end of the park follows the top of a plateau up to Rainbow Point, more than 9,000 feet above sea level. On clear days, you can see for 90 miles.
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the nation's newest protected area, is roughly 1.7 million acres of sandstone cliffs of varying hues and wilderness.
This is an area filled with cliffs displayed in an array of colors, along with matching plateaus, buttes, pinnacles, mesas and canyons.
One of the more well-known points is an overlook at Lake Powell called Hole-in-the-Rock. It is a point where early Mormon settlers, on their way to the southeastern corner of the state, encountered a 2,000-foot drop down to the Colorado River, which is now Lake Powell.
Already months behind schedule, the 250 pioneers with horses, cattle and 80 wagons had to descend the narrow canyon back in 1880. To do it they had to cut, blast and drill holes to make a road of timbers and slickrock down a slope of loose rock. So steep was the descent, the story goes, that giant logs were dragged behind wagons to slow their acceleration. Pioneers, wagons and 1,500 head of livestock made it to the river's edge without a fatality.
Seeing the notch once required a 55-mile drive over a dirt road from the town of Escalante.
Two of the state's most unique parks are located within the county — Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Kodachrome Basin.
Kodachrome is considered one of Utah's most beautiful parks and is part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Recreation Area. There are six marked hiking trails ranging from one-half to five miles. Panorama trail is designated for mountain bikes. Very popular in the spring and fall.
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is, as the name implies, a sea of sand. The sand dunes comprise some 3,500 acres, 2,000 of which are managed as a state park. The rest are administered by the BLM. Early spring and fall are becoming some of the busiest times at the dunes. There is also a loop trail, marked by signs, that begins here and is a great nature walk among 25 acres separated from vehicle users by a fence. Some visitors also ride horses or hunt for petroglyphs in the area.
What you don't know:
Being the newest of the country's protected areas, the Grand Staircase is virtually undiscovered.
And, to help, there are 959 miles of open roads within the Grand Staircase, of which 565 are open for off-highway vehicles. This is an excellent place to explore.
One such tour is the 46-mile Cottonwood Canyon dirt road from Cannonville to U.S. highway 89, which links Lake Powell and Kanab. Notable points of interest include Kodachrome Basin State Park, Grosvenor Arch and the Cockscomb, one of the park's most startling geologic features. Ten miles west of the junction with 89 is the Paria Road, which leads to an old movie set and to the abandoned town of Pahreah.
Not on the map is the "Candyland" valley, complete with ice cream sundae with chocolate topping and a Santa Claus — all made of rock, of course. Also not on the list is "the Sand Pipes," remnants of water geysers.
There are also two slot canyons in the area that are not on the map — Round Valley and Bull Valley. The easiest one to reach is Bull Valley. Access is about a mile off the main road. From a perfectly flat entrance it drops down into a canyon several hundred feet deep in places and narrow enough to touch both walls at the same time. These are but a few of the slot canyons to be discovered in the county.
Duck Creek Village is at the opposite end of the world from Grand Staircase. Located at an elevation of 8,400 feet, this is a country of pines and aspens, and scenic lakes and waterfalls. In the winter this is an especially popular place with snomobilers. The area is also a spiderweb of trails for hiking and biking. The village is located alongside highway 89 between Cedar City and the Long Valley Junction.
A nice story to go along with a visit to three lakes centers is on the Legend of Montezuma. The story goes that back in 1914 a cowhand claimed to have a map to Montezuma's treasure. History does, in fact, show some of the early Aztecs left Mexico back in 1520.
There have been several well organized trips and some freelancers searched the depths of the three lakes, but nothing has turned up. A handful of men have even died in their attempts. The three lakes are six miles north of Kanab.
Every year, highpoints in Kanab are the Western Legends Roundup and Western Film Festival.
The roundup is held the last weekend in August each year. A parade at "high noon" kicks the event off with an old-fashioned cattle drive through town, complete with Texas Longhorn cattle. Western music and cowboy poetry are part of live concerts in Kanab.
There are also a number of western-style booths and vendors selling authentic cowboy gear during the event. Also, Main Street in Kanab is closed down to allow for two outdoor stages with live entertainment throughout the event.
Kane County offers a lot in the way of recreation and natural wonders, and to Hollywood filmmakers.
Kane County
Well known: Movies, Kodachrome Basin, Lake Powell
Unknown: Grand Staircase, Slot Canyons, Legend of Montezuma
Contact: 435-644-5033
Next week: Summit County
E-mail: grass@desnews.com