Cliffrose Cottage in Kanab is not just a cottage; it is truly a home. A log structure that rambles over 3 stories, it has a pleasant, lived-in ambience. The kitchen is well-equipped with cooking utensils and spices. The two bedrooms on the main floor and the loft are spacious and comfortable. Perched on a desert hillside frequented by rabbits and coyotes, the "cottage" has a large, second-floor deck where we especially enjoyed sipping our morning coffee and from where we had a splendid, panoramic view of the surrounding red sandstone cliffs and the town of Kanab nestled in the valley. We were in the country, yet downtown Kanab was less than a 10-minute drive away. There is some fine dining in Kanab. In particular, the Sego Restaurant and the Peek-a-Boo Cafe can easily hold their own in any culinary competition with big-city restaurants.

We used Cliffrose Cottage as a base to explore the Kanab area, Bryce Canyon National Park - about a 1.5-hour drive to the north - and Zion National Park which is approximately 1 hour away by car to the west. An unusual treat was cycling along the excellent bike path from Inspiration Point in Bryce Canyon National Park to Red Canyon in the Dixie National Forest. Another adrenaline-inducing ride was from near the Kolob Reservoir in Zion National Park downhill to Virgin, UT. A third cycling adventure was mountain-biking on the excellent JEM Trails near the hamlet of Virgin. The Riverside Hike to the upper reaches of Zion Canyon was also worthwhile. Finally, we especially enjoyed our regular rendezvous with a herd of mountain sheep who were feeding on the scarce vegetation embedded in the slickrock just off the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. One word of caution: Avoid driving back to Kanab from Zion at night. Deer are frequently grazing along the edge of the road and will sometimes bound into the headlights.

In addition to spending time in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks (and environs), we also visited Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park and the Just Friends Animal Sanctuary near Kanab. Although we had 7 nights at Cliffrose Cottage, our regret is that we did not do more in the immediate Kanab area. The Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is spectacular and is readily accessible from Kanab. Perhaps another time….