Welcome to Travel Tuesday! This week, I’m bringing you not on a hike, but to Moqui Cave! (We’re still in Utah at the moment, at least virtually!)
Moqui Cave
Moqui Cave is a natural history museum located on Highway 89 in southern Utah, about 5.5 miles north of Kanab! My best friend and I were staying nearby Cowboy Bunkhouse Hostel (btdubs, would absolutely recommend–it’s one of my favorite hostels that I’ve stayed at so far!) nearby so we figured we’d check it out after our rather harrowing hiking adventure the day before.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am – 6pm
Address: 37.120863, -112.563406
Admission: ~$7 (if I recall correctly!)
Address: 37.120863, -112.563406
Admission: ~$7 (if I recall correctly!)
It was once used by the Anasazi people as a shelter or food store (based on the archaelogical digs/finds in the area) and was discovered by white settlers in the 19th century + served as a speakeasy during the Prohibition era in the 1920’s. The saloon still has its original bar stools + mosaic bar-top.
In 1951, a man named Garth Chamberlain bought this cave and tried to turn it into a tourist destination/performance hall used for socials and dances. Today, it’s still operated by his relatives, but more of a museum + gift shop (offering Native American arts + crafts, rugs, pottery, etc.).
I keep bringing you to caves that aren’t actual caves (e.g. Mossy Cave), and this one is on exception. Moqui Cave was actually a sand mine. It’s nice and cool inside though, so if you need a cool indoor-ish activity to do on a hot day, this would be a great place to go!
Today, the museum holds a sizeable rock/mineral collection (some are fluorescent!) and also has fossils, pottery, American Indian artifacts + art, dinosaura tracks (estimated to be >140 million years old!).
There’s also a large parking area with a little place that sells acai bowls! (It’s also only a mile away from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which I’ll be “taking” you to next week!
- Have you ever been to Kanab?
- Assuming you like museums, what do you like looking at/learning about most?
4 comments
Skip to comment form
I stopped in Kanab, but didn’t make it here! The florescent minerals look SO COOL! I can’t wait to hear about Best Friends – I included them on my list of places to visit, but didn’t get to go myself as we were on a time crunch.
Author
Agreeee!! I was blown away when I first saw em’, haha. I hope you get to go there next time! I loved it there and wanna take the other tours too so I can meet the rest of the animals! <3
This looks fascinating!! Thanks for sharing – I hadn’t heard of this museum before.
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Solidarity Week and MAN UP: A Search for Community and Acceptance
Author
We only found out about it incidentally because we were passing through! :o