Kanab - what's it like?

[lucyricardo]

I am wondering how your trip to BF went and your impressions of the place. I am currently thinking of relocating there, to work for BF but I am concerned about the massive numbers of job openings they have posted and whether anyof them pay a living wage. I am also concerned about finding a decent rental house and about any pet ordinances that I've been reading about! ANy comments?

[lolagranola]

When we were moving to Utah years ago, the first place that caught our eye was Kanab. OMG was it beautiful. And the price of a house looked fantastic! My H called about every subcontractor he could locate (not many), many of which were related!, and could not find a single job lead.

After we came out here and were living in the SLC area we drove through Kanab. And yes, it was as beautiful as everything we had seen. But, for us, we would have gone crazy there. From my perspective, "isolated" is an understatement!

I could imagine having a retreat house there (in some alternate universe where we could be the kind of people who had a vacation house). Have you been to Sedona, AZ? It is like Sedona with all the trappings removed.

[brightdoglover]

I did a volunteer vacation at Best Friends. It seems a marvelous place to work.
It is also absolutely the only game in town for miles around. Especially for a former city person (esp. the coasts) it really IS the "middle of nowhere."
I think the town of Kanab restricts households to two dogs within city limits, so a lot of B.F. animal lovers live outside city limits.
"Fun" would appear to be anything outdoors, hiking, biking, maybe boat things if you're willing to drive some to get there.
Housing in the area is not necessarily cheap, although it is by coastal standards. I toured a new house in a subdivision (La Estancia) and for a new 3-bed, 2-bath ranch with required 2-car garage, they were asking $274K. Within the 2-dog limits!
You can certainly meet all kinds of dynamic people working at B.F., and there are always the volunteers and visitors coming through.
I daydream of moving there to work at B.F., however, I don't think they need an aging vet tech trainee with a bad back! Good luck if you go. They seem a wonderful, uplifting organization doing great work.


I suspect anyone buying there likely is bringing money from a former house elsewhere. There seem to be plenty of rentals.

[Heatherr]

La Estancia is the most expensive place in Kanab. There are much more reasonably priced homes around. The rental market is about all full up with very few rentals left but there are some good deals for folks in the market to buy.

La Estancia does have the whole "Sedona" feel with it being right up against the base of the red cliffs. However, a drive of less than ten minutes out of downtown Kanab (you saw the one stop light I would guess) will net you with a larger piece of land and no HOA's.

[democrat]

I grew up in Kanab. It's a nice little community but EXTREMELY conservative (Robert Redford was hung in effigy there for his opposition to a power project in the 70s). The majority of the people are rabidly Republican--I'd call it the reddest county in the reddest state in the U.S. Most people in the town are LDS (Mormon). It's isolated, jobs are scarce, and benefits in available jobs almost non-existent. That said, it's absolutely beautiful and if you can afford to live there (retired, inheritance, etc.), it's a great little place. They're wary of "outsiders."

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

I was in Kanab on a family vacation back in the early 1980's, I remember as it being very peaceful and picturesque, if somewhat isolated (imagine it's quite a bit more built up now).


One memory that stands out was my mother admiring how the birds there came out at night and flew around the streetlamps, nocturnal birds being a rare sight in our neck of the woods. I had to explain that they where not birds....LOL

[Beccar]

Hi. I'm surprised you have not heard of Best Friends, having been to Kanab. It is a twenty-five year old (this year!) sanctuary for domestic animals. It is additionally a sanctioned wildlife sanctuary. Best Friends does not turn away ANY animal needing care and a home. They work actively to find "forever homes" for their charges. If an animal is too sick, old or otherwise needs a permanent home thery are ther for that as well. The Sanctuary is on the spot during disaster recoveries, rescuing animals from Fires, hurricanes and any other disaster. They are foremost in the "No More Homeless Pets" and no-kill shelter actrivities. Their work has brought about the elimination of pet stores selling puppy mill dogs, and they rescue all the animals from puppy mills that are shut down for a variety of reasons. Go to their site! www.bestfriends.com.

Originally Posted by coolcats

I've been to Kanab twice. It's a small town. Big enough for a couple of supermarkets, but no Walmart or Home Depot. It's surrounded by nice red rocks. It's warmer than Northern Utah, but colder than St. George. I would doubt there's too many single people there, but you never know.

Hurricane and Ivins are both nice towns -- part of Utah's "Dixie" where it is sunnier and warmer (hotter in the summer) than anywhere else in the state. Lots of retired people moving there.

May I ask what goes on at the Best Friends Sanctuary? I have heard a lot about it, but don't really know what sets it apart.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by coolcats

May I ask what goes on at the Best Friends Sanctuary? I have heard a lot about it, but don't really know what sets it apart.

It's the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States. There are about 2000 cats, dogs, horses and miscellaneous animals there at any given time. It's an incredible facility.

[brightdoglover]

B.F. does not necessarily accept *any* animal needing care or a home. I believe, at present, they will only take dogs from a rescue group or shelter. Once accepted, they will do everything and more for that animal for health, good life, and adoption if possible
I've adopted four dogs from B.F. over the past several years, all long-distance. The dog adoption gal there has a target painted on my back... They are very generous with their time, and if you have any questions or training issues, their trainers are endlessly available for consultation (thank you, Pat W.!).
I've done one week volunteer vacation (felled by allergies, heat, and allergy medication) and passed through this year for a couple of days to say hello and just breathe in the environment there (and buy earrings. Lots of earrings) at the gift store.

[ArchAngel16]

Originally Posted by RCL

Kanab is beautiful. It used to be a wonderful place, but beware, it's rapidly being overrun by greedy Californians and the nouveau riche from other places coming in and buying up the housing and land stock. In a few more years it will have caught on as the new Santa Fe.

Hi, sorry but I really dont want Kanab to grow into a bigger population or anything! Iv been there about 10 times now and everytime its a great pleasure. Me and my family go through there almost every year when we go to vacation at Lake Powell. <-- (Beautiful!) I am writing a report on Kanab, Utah, so any information sites or just props would be helpful :] Mostly for job opperities or of housing is avaliable and the prices. Thank You. Also I hope that little town stays a little town!