Mile 143 - Kanab Creek Canyon

Kanab Creek begins to the north on the Pausagunt Plateau, 100 miles from its confluence with the Colorado. Kanab is an anglicized form of the Southern Paiute word for “willow”. In 1872, Powell declared his second expedition over at Kanab Creek. The members of the expedition hiked out of the canyon, assisted by packmule train, with much of the trip’s supplies to the town of Kanab. Powell may have decided to abruptly end the expedition out of concern for rising flood waters, or the possibility of a confrontation with the Native American bands downstream. Additionally, Powell’s memories and the data collected from his 1869 expedition, as well as his knowledge of the Wheeler Expedition’s lower canyon traverse to Diamond Creek in 1871; undoubtedly influenced his decision to end the trip.