The Mansard Trail
A rare one, even for us
The Mansard Trail is practically in our backyard — it climbs the cliffs right above Kanab. And yet plenty of people who live here have never done it. For our 25th anniversary, Paul and Sunny are leading it as a free morning out: a good climb, a thousand-year-old rock-art site, and a view that stretches to the Grand Canyon — no charge, just a thank-you.
Ancient art and a big view, right above town
The Mansard Trail switchbacks up the Vermilion Cliffs to a quiet alcove that's been a gathering place for close to a thousand years.
Up in that alcove is a panel of petroglyphs left by Ancestral Puebloan people around AD 950 to 1150 — and unusually, they're pecked into the sloping sandstone floor rather than a vertical wall, so you look down on them. It's the kind of place that makes the centuries feel very short.
The climb earns it. It's about nine hundred and fifty feet up a set of switchbacks, with a short scramble over rough slabs near the top — and then the whole southern horizon opens up, out across the Kaibab Plateau toward the distant rim of the Grand Canyon.
The petroglyph panel — pecked into the floor, so you look down on it
How the day goes
- Meet at the trailhead. 10:00 am start — hellos with Paul and Sunny right at the trailhead, just east of town at the base of the cliffs. (You'll get exact directions when you sign up.)
- Up the switchbacks. A steady climb of about 950 feet, with a short scramble over rough slabs near the top.
- The alcove. Time with the petroglyphs and the story of the place, plus that 180-degree view toward the Grand Canyon.
- Back down. Same way you came, back at the trailhead by early afternoon.
A rainbow at sunset from the Mansard trail — the reward for an evening climb
A short, steep climb with a big reward
It's about four and a half miles round trip and roughly 950 feet up — a proper climb packed into a half day. The switchbacks are steady, and there's a short section of rough rock slabs near the top that calls for a bit of hands-on scrambling. Nothing technical, just a steep pitch.
If you're comfortable with a good uphill hike and steady on your feet, you'll do fine, and Paul and Sunny set an easy pace. The rock art gets treated the way it deserves — look and photograph, but never touch, so it's there for the next thousand years.
The Vermilion Cliffs you climb, right above town
Golden hour over the cliffs, from up on the Mansard bench
What's included
- Paul and Sunny leading in person
- The story of the place and the rock art
- Snacks and water for the outing
- A small group and an easy pace
- It's free — our treat for the 25th anniversary
What to bring
- Sturdy shoes with good tread for the climb and slabs
- Layers for a cool November morning
- Sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- A water bottle or two (refills provided)
- A camera for the views (and the art — from a respectful distance)
The quick facts
| Date | Friday, November 20, 2026 |
| Meet | At the trailhead just east of Kanab, 10:00 am (exact directions when you sign up) |
| Duration | Half day |
| On foot | ~4.4 miles round trip · ~950 ft of climbing |
| Terrain | Switchbacks up the Vermilion Cliffs, with a short rough-slab scramble near the top |
| Difficulty | Moderate — short but steep |
| Cost | Free — our treat for the 25th anniversary |
| Guides | Paul & Sunny |
Questions we get a lot
How old is the rock art?
Can you touch the petroglyphs?
How hard is the climb, really?
What's the view like?
Can I bring my kids?
Will you run this again?
RSVP for the Mansard Trail
It's free — our treat for the 25th anniversary — but spots are limited, and everyone needs to RSVP and sign a quick waiver. Both are handled right through the booking link.
