Cannonville, Utah

Cannonville is a tiny ranching community about 15 miles east of Bryce Canyon via Scenic Byway 12, part of the small cluster of towns — with Tropic and Henrieville — known as Bryce Valley. With a population of only around 186, it is less a tourist stop than a genuine working town that happens to sit on one of the best side-trip routes in the area.

History

The site was first settled in 1874 as "Clifton" by David O. Littlefield and Orley Dwight Bliss, named for the view of nearby cliffs. Water problems forced the settlers to move about a mile and a half upstream, where they re-founded the town as Cannonville, honoring LDS apostle George Q. Cannon, who oversaw the region. A canal project completed around 1892 improved the water supply enough that the population had grown to 273 by 1890 — larger than it is today.

Gateway to Grand Staircase-Escalante

Cannonville is home to a Bureau of Land Management visitor center for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, making it a practical stop for maps, road conditions, and permits before heading into the monument's backcountry. It also sits at the start of Cottonwood Canyon Road, the route to two of the area's best side trips.

Kodachrome Basin and Grosvenor Arch

Kodachrome Basin State Park is about 9 miles south of Cannonville via Cottonwood Canyon Road, known for its sandstone chimney formations, and Grosvenor Arch — a striking double arch — sits a few miles beyond that. Both are easy half-day additions to a Bryce Canyon visit.

Services

The town has a campground, a gas station, and modest lodging options, enough to make it a workable base for visitors focused on Grand Staircase-Escalante rather than Bryce itself.