The Belly of the Dragon is a quick and fun little place to explore with an awesome name near Kanab, Utah. It’s great for young and old alike. Even if you don’t have time for a real hike, this is a great place to stretch your legs.
It’s too bad that so many people have carved their names in the walls. Please leave no trace when you go. The Belly of the Dragon is actually a man-made culvert under the road, but I still like to keep things nice for others to enjoy.
This has a very short, improved dirt road to get to the parking and to get into the tunnel. Unless it’s muddy, any car will be fine.
There is a small descent to get into the tunnel. Here are my kids climbing back up afterwards. Otherwise it’s a flat walk through the tunnel.
You might want to bring a flashlight for the middle of the tunnel. A phone flashlight is probably bright enough, since it’s very short.
When you get to the end, it opens up and you can just turn around.
Other hikes nearby are the Sand Caves and Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch. Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park is also close. Kanab also has fairly dark skies for night photography.
Stats: Distance – 0.4 miles round trip
Approximate hiking time – 15-30 minutes
Elevation gain – 10 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – well maintained trail of dirt and rocks
Bathrooms – No
Seasons to hike – Year-round (The road and trail may be tricky when wet.)
Permits needed – None
Pets allowed – Yes
Other nearby trails are Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Horseshoe Bend, and Kanab Sand Caves.
