KANARRAVILLE, Iron County — Kanarra Falls is one of southern Utah's most iconic hikes, leading visitors through a carved sandstone slot canyon toward a 20-foot waterfall.
For years, hikers had to crawl up a wooden "ladder" to reach the top of the falls and continue down the path. The ladder was in place for about 30 years before it was washed away in a flash flood in 2021. Since then, aluminum stairs have taken its place.
Until now.
Kanarra Falls manager Holly Hadley told St. George News that the town of Kanarraville, Iron County, which stewards the hike, received two grants to replace the aluminum stairs.
Andy Funderburke and his crew stand on the newly finished Kanarra Falls stairs near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Jared Blackburn
Welder Andy Funderburke works on the new Kanarra Falls stairs near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Jared Blackburn
A Southern Utah University helicopter hauls materials and equipment to Kanarra Falls, where a new set of stairs was recently installed near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Mike Mowers
A Southern Utah University helicopter hauls materials and equipment to Kanarra Falls, where a new set of stairs was installed near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Southern Utah University
A waterfall flows next to the iconic Kanarra Falls wooden ladder which was washed away by a flash flood near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Alysha Lundgren, St. George News
An aluminum set of stairs previously carried hikers to the next park of the Kanarra Falls hike near Kanarraville, in this undated photo.Mike Mowers