Location : Kanab, UT
Parking : Parking lot at trailhead, no fee
Trail type : Out and Back
Trail Length : 2 miles rt
Elevation Gain : 183 ft
Difficulty : Easy
Trails traversed : The Belly Of The Dragon tunnel and unnamed trail behind it.
AllTrails Link : https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/the-belly-of-the-dragon
Pro Tip : Wear sturdy shoes with deep treads and ankle support. Headlamp required.
The Belly Of The Dragon tunnel and trailhead is located about 20 minutes north of Kanab, UT. The tunnel acts as a drainage to direct the rain water from the upper canyons to the North Fork River. It is an adventurous and cool hike, walking through the tunnel full of unique rock formations, lighted only by your headlamp, and then on a "wash" trail all the way to a canyon wall.
>> Got a question about The Belly Of The Dragon that you need answered quickly? DM me on Instagram @SolaraStills and I’ll be happy to help! I only accept DMs from followers, so hit the follow button before sending.
Parking : Parking is a dirt pullout by the side of Hwy 89. The lot is small, and doesnt hold more than 20 cars max. But since it is a short hike, the lot never gets full, as cars keep coming in and out. When we went on a Saturday evening at 5pm, there were only two other cars in the lot.
Looking from the inside out at the entrance of the tunnel
The Trail : The trailhead starts at the mouth of the tunnel. There are a couple of large concrete steps to jump off of, in order to enter the tunnel. The tunnel itself is dark, short, and man-made. It is a very unique experience walking into it, and traversing through it, before exiting out on to a trail in a canyon. The floor of the tunnel is extremely rocky and uneven. So good ankle support shoes are required.
Cool rock formation inside the cave/tunnel
The other end of the tunnel
Once you exit the tunnel, the trail is primarily a wash. It winds around in a canyon, until you hit a dead end against the canyon wall. Turn around and trace your way back through the tunnel and to the parking lot. This trail, past the tunnel, is quite boring and can be skipped, as the highlight of the hike is the Belly Of The Dragon. If you do continue on the trail, there are trail offshoots to the right, closer to the deadend pictured below, that take you further into the canyon.
Dead end of the trail
In summary, this is a super easy hike, fun for the whole family, and a hidden gem of Southern Utah.
>> Got a question about The Belly Of The Dragon that you need answered quickly? DM me on Instagram @SolaraStills and I’ll be happy to help! I only accept DMs from followers, so hit the follow button before sending.
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