Kanarra Falls Hiking Permit Required as of May 1, 2018
Kanarra Creek (aka Kanarraville Falls) has become a popular hiking destination for tens of thousands each year. Because of the popularity and overcrowding, the town of Kanarraville, County Officials and BLM representatives met to discuss a balanced way to allow visitors to continue enjoying the hike, but improve the experience for those that come to see the natural beauties that are waiting to be discovered up the canyon.
As of May 1, 2018, a permit is now required for all visitors, paid either per individual or group. Individual hikers will pay $8, while groups up to 30 individuals will pay $25. There is not currently a cap on the number of permits that will be handed out each day, although this will be monitored closely, and if overcrowding persists, there will be consideration given to limiting the daily permits.
Permits can be purchased online here. Head over to our trail page for more trail information!
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Author: Tim LeBaron
HikeStGeorge is a project that began as a seedling for Tim LeBaron in the early part of 2008, but really didn’t begin to blossom until the latter part of 2011. The original idea behind the site was to bring to light all of the harder to find, or “less known” hidden gems of the area. It was more of a pet project than anything. As excitement about the site began to spread, there was more of a push to develop information about all hikes in the Southern Utah Region.
HikeStGeorge is a project that began as a seedling for Tim LeBaron in the early part of 2008, but really didn’t begin to blossom until the latter part of 2011. The original idea behind the site was to bring to light all of the harder to find, or “less known” hidden gems of the area. It was more of a pet project than anything. As excitement about the site began to spread, there was more of a push to develop information about all hikes in the Southern Utah Region.
Thank you for this website! I spoke with Zion Park yesterday and they said they are putting their toxin level at the Narrows to “dangerous” however, I only see “caution” listed on their website. Maybe a marketing move to thin out crowds? Anyhow, does Kanarra Falls also have the same concerns with this particular/dangerous toxin in the water? Thank you!
As far as we know from the Utah DEP, there is not a risk of cyanotoxin exposure in the Kanarra Creek canyon. You might try checking the town of Kanarraville and ask if they have had any confirmed issues with it. They run the site https://www.kanarrafalls.com/
How do you know if it’s too cold to do the hike?
Alexa, that really depends on your tolerance to cold, and the gear that you have. You can check the local weather report for the dates your plan to come, and see what the temps are. The water that runs in that creek is snow melt, so it is pretty cold in the spring. I recommend using gear that will keep your feet insulated.
How many permits are given per day? Looking to hike the trail in July, 2019
Jeff, thanks for your question! As of today, the total permit number limit is 150 per day. The best way to secure your permit is to order them online here https://www.kanarrafalls.com/.
What are the conditions for this hike today? Do we need waterproof shoes etc to do this hike?
Looks like the high today is supposed to be 58 degrees. Lows are still in the 30’s so the water temps are going to be mid 30’s to low 40’s. Waterproof shoes, or at least neoprene socks will help keep you from getting too cold. Half of this trail is in water, so you will want to have that protection. Also, once you get into the canyon, there will be little to no direct sunlight, so it will be cold. Plan accordingly!
We are in the Saint George area often throughout the year. What is the best time of year to hike Kanarraville Falls? Sounds like the trail is much cooler than temps in Saint George on any given day – as well as wet. Thank you!
Erika, thanks for your question! This trail is great throughout the year, but yes, temps are much cooler than St George, so you want to plan accordingly if you’re planning to come late fall through late spring. Because of the popularity of the trail, there can be bottlenecks at the waterfalls that can cause long delays, so you need to make sure you are prepared with water, etc. The number of permits is now restricted, so make sure you buy a permit online before coming!
Is it possible to buy a permit at the trail head when one arrives?
Yes, you can purchase the permit at the trailhead.
Can you hike the falls in late September? I’ve been told it would be to cold ?
Brittney, thanks for your question! The falls can be hiked year round, but the colder it gets, the more prepared you need to be. Our advice is to check the forecast before going and make sure you know what temperatures to plan for. The canyon will be 5-10 degrees cooler than the advertised temp. The water flows down from higher elevations too, so as the season progresses the water temps will get cooler and cooler. If you have neoprene socks it will make things more comfortable, but you can do other things to warm up your feet as well!
The website to purchase the permits, that is referenced and linked multiple times and on multiple sites is not working and states that it is coming soon. How do we buy online permits if this site is down and not working??? http://www.kanarrafalls.com is even linked in an above reply, but its now working or hasn’t been built yet. Please help, I would like to come hike this trail on Friday July 13th. I am a local resident of Washington county and have hiked this multiple times, is there a local pass yet?? thanks in advance for your help.
Jonathan, thanks for your comment. I looked into the issue and it looks like Iron County pulled the site down and has added a page on their website. The info page can be found at this link https://www.visitcedarcity.com/kanarra-falls/. The permits can be purchased on their permit site at https://kanarracreekfalls.jubileetix.com/?pin=1013. If you continue to have problems, contact Iron County Tourism. They are helping field questions and concerns about the hike.
My family and I have been hiking this for years and we are locals (Eastern Washington County). There should be a local’s pass, child vs adult price, or annual pass, or family pass, etc. This is a great hike with my wife and kids: 7, 10, 12. I would hope there is a committee that can address this issue. Thanks
Ben, thanks for your suggestion. Iron County and the town of Kanarraville are the organizations that would be best to take this up with. Contact info is listed on this website http://www.kanarrafalls.com. We do our best to put out the trail info for the area, but as a private company have no direct affiliations with the land managers. Hope this helps!
My permits say 6 am. Do I need to be at the trailhead I 6 am, or can I go there any time that day?
Logan, thanks for your question. I spoke with the county (the ones who oversee the permitting) and they said that the time indicates the time you CAN start hiking. You can go anytime during the day. Hope this helps!
My girlfriend dog and myself have been coming up to Kanarraville to hike for years now. Upon arrival today we were approached by a young man informing us of the permits, which we had no problem paying and highly understood the reasoning. However, my dog (service dog certified) was the reason we were not allowed to hike. The gentleman at the booth was insistent that we not bring the dog with us, we have a card with proof of service but he demanded a vest just be worn in order for the dog to be allowed in with us for the hike. It is illegal by the law to ask for proof of service, she is not required to wear a vest, never has and never will. She is my service dog and serves me and my disability which was illegally questioned.
Leah, I’m very sorry to hear that you had a bad experience! I can see your frustration! I would encourage you to contact Iron County (contact details can be found at http://www.kanarrafalls.com) and let them know your complaint. We are not connected with the administration or management of the trail, but we do want each hiker to have a great experience! Hope this helps!