Kane County is located in the south central portion of Utah. It is bordered by Zion National Park on the west side, Lake Powell to the east, Bryce Canyon to the north, and the Grand Canyon to the south.
Kane County's County Seat - Say that 10 times fast!!
The city of Kanab is the county seat for Kane county. Every county in a state has a county seat, it's where you'll find the administrative, and government offices that make decisions for the county.
The city of Kanab is also the largest city in Kane county with a population of 4,312 as of 2010 according to http://kane.utah.gov/cities.cfm , it is follow by Orderville with 577, and Big Water 475.
Kane county as a whole has a population of about 7,125 based on the same 2010 census, and covers 4,109 square miles.
Kane county as a whole has a population of about 7,125 based on the same 2010 census, and covers 4,109 square miles.
Elevation, Climate, Weather
Kane county has mountains to the northwest, and high, and low deserts throughout. The highest point is 10,100 feet (http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/search.php?sort=&c=13) which is part of Gooseberry Ridge in the Northern part of Kane county. The lowest elevation 3,071 feet (http://skyhighutah.com) can be found at Bullfrog Bay along the shores of Lake Powell.
High desert of Kane county
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, southern Kane county
Just like it's landscape, the climate and weather in Kane county can vary greatly. There is snow in winter and it can get hot during the summer, but even in late spring the desert sands here can get VERY cold at night due to the dry air, lack of vegetation, and clear skies.
Main Waterways of Kane county
Because of the Glen County Dam in Arizona, the largest body of Water in Kane county is Lake Powell. But before Lake Powell was a lake, it was a large canyon system with massive sandstone walls, slot canyons, and waterfalls that dropped in from above. At the bottom of the canyon were evidence of Native Americans; their artwork, pottery, and houses, along with the Colorado river (the same river that has carved the Grand Canyon in Arizona).
What Lake Powell may have looked like before the Dam
Most of the rivers that run through Kane county empty into Lake Powell, the two biggest being the Paria and Escalante rivers. The other two major rivers that run through Kane county are the Sevier, Kanab, and Virgin rivers.
Too much water can have a big effect too!! Learn about flash floods before entering slot canyons! In the desert water from a rain storm doesn't absorb into the earth the same way it does in places with types of soil that have more organic mass. Water races towards a low spot and as it builds momentum it carries rocks and boulders with it. They can be deadly!
Major rivers that pass through Kane county
Drought can have a big effect on our waterways
Too much water can have a big effect too!! Learn about flash floods before entering slot canyons! In the desert water from a rain storm doesn't absorb into the earth the same way it does in places with types of soil that have more organic mass. Water races towards a low spot and as it builds momentum it carries rocks and boulders with it. They can be deadly!
When I visited Bryce Canyon, Ranger Gary had a damp sponge and a dry sponge, and asked which one would absorb more water. He showed that more water ran off of the dry sponge (like our desert) than the damp one.
Mountain ranges of Kane county
Kane county has 392 peaks recorded (http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/search.php?sort=&c=13) that range between 3,920 and 10,080 feet above sea level. But not all of these are part of a "mountain range", many are isolated like Castle Rock (below).
Castle Rock (raising from the water to the left) at 4,321 feet
Other peaks lay among true mountain ranges like Clear Creek Mountain which has elevations ranging from 6,418 to 8,123 feet.
The view from on top of Clear Creek mountain
Buckskin Mountain runs along the border of utah and Arizona, and its peak also called Buckskin Mountain, is just over the border in Arizona at 6,668 feet. The peak of this mountain is not what people are interested in, instead they come to this area for the long slot canyon at its base which may be the longest of its kind in the world!
View from inside Buckskin Gulch at the base of Buckskin Mountain
Moccasin Mountains are also along the border of Utah and Arizona but are mostly in Arizona. Only the northeast portion of the mountain is in Utah and ends where the Coral Pink Sand Dunes begin.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes state park at an elevation of around 6,000 feet
National and State Parks
2 National Parks: the east side of Zion, and the south end of Bryce Canyon are within Kane county.
View from East Rim trail in Zion N.P.
View of Bryce Canyon N.P. looking out onto Kane county
1 National Recreation area, but it's really big! Glen Canyon National Recreation area also called Lake Powell.
Flooded canyons of Lake Powell
3 National Monuments: Pipe Spring, Cedar Breaks, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.
Entrance to Pipe Spring N.P.
Like Bryce but smaller, view looking over Cedar Breaks N.P.
OK, the Grand Staircase is really really big, shown in yellow it covers 2 counties.
1 National Forest: Dixie National Forest.
Dixie National Forest
2 State Parks: Kodachrome Basin State Park, and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Sandstone arches in Kodachrome state park.
Flowers growing in the sands of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes state park.
Rocks and Minerals
So there are LOTS of exposed rocks in Kane county, Utah. The oldest exposed rocks in Kane county are apart of the Permian strata and are 245 million years old, that is really really old! The youngest rocks are apart of the Tertiary strata and are 66 million years old or less.
Cross section of rock formations found across Kane county, Utah
Layers of rock exposed along the Grand Staircase that covers most of Kane county, Utah
Oldest exposed rocks can be found in Buckskin Gulch in south central Kane county, Utah
Youngest exposed rocks in Kane county, Utah are found at the top of Paunsaugunt Plateau North central to North West Kane county. Bryce Canyon cuts into the eastern side of Paunsaugunt Plateau.
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