Coral Pink Sand Dunes Utah State Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes Utah State Park is located a few miles south of U.S. Highway 89 in a remote area between Kanab and Mount Carmel Junction. When driving on U.S. 89, the road to look for is County Road 43, which runs south through a few picturesque canyons and high desert mesas. This road passes by the Yellow Jacket Picnic Area and it dead ends at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, so navigating is easy to do. This region is open range ranch territory, so it is best to take it slow when passing through.  

When approaching the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, the landscape dramatically changes from juniper forests to towering bluffs and steep hillsides. The tall bluffs are a natural barrier that has trapped an enormous amount of coral pink color sand in this basin over eons of time. Inside the dunes area, the dominance of the bright coral color sand becomes overwhelming and it resembles no other place on earth. The barren bright color dunes truly are a surreal sight to see and there are several good overlooks along the access road. 

For both naturalists and ATV enthusiasts, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is like a dream come true! Coral pink color sand is a rarity in itself, so just gazing upon this environment is enough to leave a visitor spellbound. The crystal clear air of the desert also adds to the visual effect, because distant objects look much closer than they really are. The true proportions fall into place when a recognizable object is seen on the dunes. ATV vehicles look as small as ants on these big bright color sand dunes, which indicates the true scale of things.

By foot or ATV, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes are easy to navigate, even though the trails disappear with the shifting sands. The barren portion of the dunes only covers a few square miles and this is where most hikers spend their time. Wearing native style sandals is best, because shoes and boots will turn into sand buckets as the feet sink into the fine grade particulate matter.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is off-road vehicle friendly, so those who tow a dune buggy are in luck. Plenty of ATV rentals can be found nearby in the town of Kanab and some will even deliver vehicles to the park. The old west pioneer town of Kanab definitely is the basecamp for adventure in the region, because 3 national monuments, 2 national parks and a big lakeside national recreation Area are nearby. It is very easy to plan a lengthy vacation in this region, because there is so much to see and do. 

The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are an amazing sight to see, especially when a few clouds cast some shadows  The glare of bright sunlight masks the details of the colorful dunes, while the shade of an occasional passing cloud brings the dunes to life. The color tone of the dunes changes from bright light to shadow, so clouds open the door for some interesting image creativity. The landscape in this region is as majestic as can be, so be sure to bring a good camera. This park is pure inspiration and many famous western landscape paintings have been created here.  

A full education about sand and sand dunes can be found inside the Utah State Park Visitor Center. The story about how the rare coral pink color sand landed here over eons of time is an interesting subject in itself. The visitor center shop stocks wide brim desert floppy hats, which are a necessity out on the dunes where there is no shade. Eye goggles and a dust mask will be needed on windy days, which is good to keep in mind. 

Nowhere else in the world will a traveler see bright coral pink color sand dunes. This majestic rarity is best experienced in person, because the photos have a way of making this destination seem smaller than it really is. Best of all, visitors can spend all day playing in the sand, just like kids in a sand box. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park certainly is a fun destination that belongs at the top of the list!