Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is about 265 miles and just under five hours from downtown Provo, by an OpenStreetMap routing estimate (OSRM, no traffic) to 5001 Angel Canyon Road, about five miles north of Kanab. Tours are free. Volunteering is too, with two shifts every day of the year, and kids as young as 8 can help in some areas. That combination makes it the rare long-weekend trip that a whole family, a roommate group or a service-minded student club can plan around one goal: spending time with animals who need it.
Best Friends describes itself as operating the nation's largest sanctuary for homeless animals, spread over more than 3,700 acres in an upper and lower canyon off US-89.
Getting there
OSRM's route: I-15 south for about 168 miles, State Route 20 east over to US-89, then US-89 south through Panguitch and Mount Carmel Junction toward Kanab. Plan a fuel and food stop at the I-15 towns or in Panguitch.
You need a car once you are there. Best Friends says many animal areas are several miles apart, walking is not practical, bicycles are not allowed on most sanctuary roads, and RVs longer than 21 feet have trouble on some roads and lots. Bring a car even if you are towing a camper.
Time zone note for anyone flying in: Best Friends reminds visitors that Las Vegas is on Pacific time, so the sanctuary is an hour ahead. From Provo, there is no change.
A visit day: tours
Best Friends lists several free daily tours:
- a grand tour of the sanctuary,
- area-specific tours (dogs, cats and so on),
- an Angels Rest tour, the sanctuary's resting place for animals who have died,
- a guided hiking tour.
Tours fill early, the sanctuary says, so sign up in advance through its "Sign Up for Activities" page or by calling the Welcome Center at 435-677-6486. Private tours are available for a nominal fee through groups@bestfriends.org. A smartphone app offers a self-guided tour if the guided ones are full.
Google's listing for the sanctuary shows 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The volunteer office says it is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A working day: volunteering
This is what sets Best Friends apart from a zoo or a petting farm. Volunteers do the real daily work: feeding, cleaning, grooming, walking and socializing animals so they are more adoptable.
Shifts: 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 to 3:30 p.m., every day of the year. Schedule them at volunteers.bestfriends.org, up to a year in advance. Each animal area has a maximum number of volunteers per shift, so popular areas on holiday weekends fill first.
Minimum ages, by area (Best Friends):
| Area | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Cat World, Bunny House, Parrot Garden | 8+ |
| Dogtown and dog outings | 16+ |
| Piggy Paradise, Horse Haven | 16+ |
| Wild Friends, Sanctuary Store, Angels Rest, landscaping | 18+ |
Minors must be with an adult at all times, and one adult can supervise two minors. For a family with a 9-year-old and a 14-year-old, that means cats, bunnies or parrots together; Dogtown waits until the 14-year-old turns 16.
What to wear: closed-toe shoes (required; no clogs), long pants, layers for chilly mornings and warm afternoons, a hat and sunscreen. If you work with horses, goats or sheep at home, bring clothes and shoes that have not been around them.
Health or mobility limits: contact the volunteer department ahead (volunteers@bestfriends.org, 435-319-0622) to arrange suitable work.
Community service hours: Best Friends can document hours by email. Court-ordered service must be pre-approved, and sleepovers, outings, fostering, transport trips and classes do not count.
Lunch: $5 vegan lunches at the Angel Village cafe, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Buy meal tickets at the Sanctuary Store.
Sleepovers and outings
Some sanctuary dogs and cats are approved to go home with volunteers overnight, and some dogs can go on day outings, per Best Friends' volunteer FAQ. It is the part of the trip people talk about afterward. Restrictions apply, and your lodging has to allow it, so read the sleepover requirements before you book a room.
Your own pets stay out. Best Friends says personal pets are not allowed in any animal area or left unattended in vehicles, and it specifically includes cars with a climate-controlled "dog mode." If your dog comes on the trip, plan for a pet-friendly room and someone to stay with the dog during shifts. Our things to do with your dog guide covers the home-side options.
Where to stay
Best Friends lists cottages, cabins and RV sites on sanctuary grounds, plus the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile in Kanab, and advises booking early. The sanctuary's visit page also points to several pet-friendly places to stay in the area. The Kane County Office of Tourism visitor center is at 78 South 100 East in Kanab.
What else is near Kanab
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is about 30 minutes west of Kanab, according to UDOT's Zion-area travel page, which lists day use at $15 per vehicle ($10 for Utah resident seniors). Utah State Parks describes dunes that move as much as 50 feet a year, with areas for OHVs and for people on foot. Hours are daylight, seven days a week. For OHV rules on dunes (whip flags, helmets, education certificates), see our Little Sahara guide; the state rules are the same.
Zion's east side is reached from Mount Carmel Junction on the drive in. Our Zion and St. George guide covers the tunnel, the shuttle season and the east-side road.
Bryce Canyon is reached from US-89 on the way north; see our Bryce guide.
How the weekend works
Friday: leave Provo by noon, arrive in Kanab by about 5 p.m. Check in.
Saturday: a morning volunteer shift (8:15 to 11:30), a $5 vegan lunch at Angel Village, an afternoon tour or second shift, and, if approved, a dog or cat sleepover that night.
Sunday: return the sleepover animal, take the guided hike or the Angels Rest tour, and start home by early afternoon. Coral Pink Sand Dunes is a short detour if the kids still have energy.
Book in this order: volunteer shifts and tours first (they cap), then lodging, then sleepover approval.
If the trip leaves you wanting to help at home
Best Friends' work is national, but the animals that need homes in Utah Valley are closer. Our Utah County pet adoption guide explains the county's two shelters and how adoption works here, and our shelter and housing volunteering guide covers volunteer options for people. For more long weekends by distance, see day trips from Provo.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary from Provo?
Are Best Friends tours free?
How old do you have to be to volunteer at Best Friends?
When are the volunteer shifts?
Can you take a dog or cat on a sleepover?
Can I bring my own dog to Best Friends?
Is there food at the sanctuary?
What should I wear to volunteer?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah State Parks near Zion (day-use fees), Utah Department of Transportation. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Visit the Sanctuary, Best Friends Animal Society. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Volunteer FAQs, Best Friends Animal Society. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Intern and extern FAQs (acreage, location), Best Friends Animal Society. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM route service (OpenStreetMap data), driving estimates from Center St & University Ave, Provo, Project OSRM. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Google Places listings (coordinates, addresses, hours), Google. Checked October 20, 2026.
