The name “Belly of the Dragon” sounds mystical, even a little scary. In reality, it is a man-made drainage tunnel, about 400 feet long, that carries a seasonal stream beneath Highway 89. It sits roughly 16 miles north of Kanab, Utah, and about half a mile south of Mount Carmel Junction.
We stopped here on our way out of Kanab to our next destination, and it turned out to be a fun little adventure. The tunnel gets its name from its ribbed walls, which look like the inside of a mythical dragon, with ridges rippling along the curving passage. Most sources describe the rock as sandstone.
It was a sunny, hot day outside, but inside the tunnel it was cool and comfortable, a nice break from the heat. The walk is easy and short, about 0.5 mile round trip. However, the floor is uneven, and some parts are narrow. Without a light, it would be easy to stumble or twist an ankle, so bring a flashlight or use your phone light, especially for the dark middle section. Expect a short drop of about 5 feet at one entrance. If you want more, you can continue up the dry wash beyond the tunnel. Reported distances for this extension vary from about 2 miles to as much as 4, ending at a small slot canyon.
Because this is a drainage tunnel, do not enter it in rainy weather or when storms are in the forecast, as flash floods are possible.
Tip: It makes an easy stop if you are driving between Kanab, Zion, and Bryce Canyon, since it is right along Highway 89.
「龍腹」（Belly of the Dragon）這個名字聽起來充滿神秘色彩，甚至有些令人膽寒。實際上，它是一條長約 400 英尺 (約 122 公尺) 的人工排水隧道，引導季節性溪流從 89 號公路下方穿過。它位於猶他州卡納布（Kanab）以北約 16 英里處，卡梅爾山交匯處（Mount Carmel Junction）以南約半英里處。
我們在離開卡納布之前，在此逗留一會兒，結果是一段充滿樂趣的小小探險。這條隧道因帶有棱紋的岩壁而得其名——沿著彎曲的通道，岩壁上的棱脊層層起伏，宛如在神話的巨龍腹中。大多數資料都將這裡的岩石描述為砂岩。
我們去的那天雖然外頭烈日炎炎，但隧道內卻涼爽舒適，讓人得以暫時避開酷熱。這段路短而輕鬆，往返全長約 0.5 英里 (約 805 公尺)。不過，路面凹凸不平，部分地段較為狹窄。若無照明，很容易絆倒或扭傷腳踝，因此務必攜帶手電筒或使用手機照明，尤其是在光線昏暗的中間路段。此外，入口處有約 5 英尺的落差。如果走完隧道還意猶未盡，可以繼續沿著隧道外的干涸河道前行；據稱這段延伸路線在 2 到 4 英里之間，終點是一處小型狹縫峽谷。
由於這是一條排水隧道，所以請勿在下雨天或預報有風暴時進入，以免遭遇突發洪水。
建議：如果你開車到卡納布、錫安和布萊斯峽谷之間，這裡是一個很方便的停留點，因為它就位於 89 號公路沿線。
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