Pipe Spring National Monument

Grand Canyon Region


A vital source of water for desert flora and fauna, the Ancestral Puebloan people, the Paiute Indians, and for the Mormons who followed them into this stark, stunning country, Pipe Springs is now a monument to pioneer history. Visitors can experience the Old West amid cabins and corrals, an orchard, ponds and a garden. There's a museum with regular guided tours throughout the day and, in summer, rangers and costumed volunteers reenact various pioneer tasks.

The Mormon fort, built by one AP Winsor over the natural spring that made the site so important, never saw a shot fired in anger. It later became the central structure of the ranch that developed here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The small museum examines the turbulent history of local Paiutes and Mormon settlers.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Grand Canyon Region attractions

1. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

11.88 MILES

Restless winds shift giant Sahara-like sand dunes across half of this 3700-acre state park. For lovers of the strange, it's worth the 24-mile, 90-minute…

2. Little Hollywood Land Museum

17.06 MILES

Wander through a bunkhouse, saloon and other buildings used in Western movies filmed locally, including The Outlaw Josey Wales, and learn some tricks of…

3. Kanab Heritage Museum

17.38 MILES

For a glimpse into the region’s popular history, this small museum is worth a stop. While the few pieces of historical memorabilia aren’t particularly…

4. Parry Lodge

17.4 MILES

Built in the 1930s, this historic hotel was once movie central. Stars stayed here and owner Whit Parry provided horses, cattle and catering for the sets…

5. Moqui Cave

20.33 MILES

Five miles north of town, this tourist trap is an oddball collection of genuine dinosaur tracks, real cowboy and Native American artifacts, and other…

6. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

21.1 MILES

Kanab's most famous attraction is outside town. Surrounded by more than 33,000 mostly private acres of red-rock desert 5.5 miles north of Kanab, Best…

8. Zion Nature Center

27.14 MILES

During the summer, many children's programs are held at the Zion Nature Center, just past the South Campground. There is a variety of interactive exhibits…