We finally got to take the trip we had been waiting for. The fall temperatures and the spectacular colors in the canyon were well worth the postponement of the June trip first planned. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah was more then we could ever have imagined and it didn’t disappoint.

The morning we left it rained. But, we didn’t mind, in fact for the first four hours of the road trip it rained. We were on a mission to deliver books to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. In the final hour, the sun was shining and the red rock canyon walls and the foliage along the Virgin River were a blaze with colors I can’t even name. It was breathtaking.

We were giddy with excitement and had our eyes peeled for the big orange sign to welcome us to our home for the next four days. And there it was, in all it’s glory. We made our way to the Welcome Center to check in. We stayed in one of their cabins, which was more of a studio apartment, but was just perfect. Since we didn’t have any tours the first day, we took our own tour on Angel Canyon Road.

We stopped at Angels Landing, where they do memorial services each month. This isn’t the resting place, that came a ways up the road. Angels Rest is where the animals crossed the Rainbow Bridge to their final resting place. This was so emotional for us. There were thousands of angels there. This is the area where your can have your pets buried. The mega wind chimes are all tuned to the same tone and are unbelievable. The eerie solitude you experience on this hollowed ground brought tears to our eyes. We felt the animal spirits there. The other resting place is at the Gratitude Garden and Angels Overlook on top of the canyon. Another emotional tribute to the animals that never got adopted and passed away at the sanctuary. Also, some of the founders and workers are resting there as well. There are stone benches all throughout the garden to sit and meditate. This is a very touching and peaceful place with gorgeous views of the canyon in every direction.

The next day we went into the town of Kanab to visit the Best Friends Roadhouse & Mercantile. That’s where we met with Mike, who gave us a warm welcome and took our books. The Mercantile is a gift shop/coffee shop and has a visitor center upon entrance. It was very inviting and full of colorful merchandise, which we definitely made ourselves available to. You’ve got to stop there for a visit and get some gifts for yourself and your animal loving friends. It’s really a fun place. The Roadhouse is the hotel where you can have pets stay with you while visiting. These rooms are really nice, too.

Our first tour was Old Dogtown Behind The Scenes. Our tour guide was John and he was great. The grounds are very clean and the dog runs are very spacious. Every dog has his/her own area outside for fresh air and exercising, as well as indoor shelter to sleep. John knows every animal’s name and personality. And there’s over 200 dogs that live there! There’s a senior area, a puppy area, an aquatic physical therapy & rehabilitation area, grooming area, and just about anything a traumatized animal coming to the sanctuary needs to help heal and get better. Most are adoptable, some need more rehab time.

Our second tour was Wild Friends at Feathered Friends. These are the birds you see in nature. There weren’t a lot of them there, which is really pretty nice. That means they are living happy and healthy in their natural habitat. We did see some ravens, crows, chickens and owls.

Our third tour was the Parrot Garden. There were quite a few birds there. We got to see Cockatoos, Cockatiels, different kinds of Parrots and other birds. Most are up for adoption and are carefully paired with a human, as we were told not all birds like certain people! So, before they go to their forever home, they are carefully matched with a compatible person.

The fourth and final tour was the Grand Sanctuary Driving Tour. Our tour quide, Deb, was astounding! She took us everywhere and gave us an amazing history lesson of the place. We stopped at Cat World which was very impressive. The cat houses were very clean and spacious, just like Dogtown. Each animal had it’s own play and sleep area, as well as trauma centers for rehab and healing. This tour was two hours and was just beautiful. If you have the chance, get this tour and ask for Deb. It’s truly worth the time.

There are up to 1,600 animals that call Best Friends their home-between-homes. Dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, horses, pigs, and other barnyard animals come here from all over the country, seeking a safe haven where they can find refuge, love, and acceptance. I am already planning my next visit so I can tour other areas that we didn’t have the time for; the horses, pigs, and ruins.

I know this was kind of long, but I hope you enjoyed our trip with us. There was so much we did, but I don’t have enough space to tell you all and show you all. (Check Skip Thomas Adventures Facebook for more photos.) So, if you go to Kanab, try to visit Best Friends, especially in the fall when the weather is cold in the mornings and just perfect in the afternoon, and the fall colors are spectacular! We left with a feeling of purpose and belonging, and can’t wait to come back again.

Til next time, God bless.

Skip’s mom, Cb