If you are on a trip through Utah, especially near Kanab, to see many of its worthwhile parks, like Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef or Canyon Lands; then you’ll enjoy a smaller State Park which has a lot to offer. We were travelling along the 80 highway and found this place by accident. We saw the signs and decided to stop in and check out the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
What Can You Do at the Coral pink sand dunes?
Whether you are into camping, hiking, off-road vehicles or just finding somewhere with a unique landscape to explore for a while, Coral Pink Sand Dunes offers all of those things.
This 3,730-acre area became a State Park in 1963. Ninety per cent of the dunes are available to the ATV riders, and all of its acres are open for everyone to hike and play around.
How And Why Are The Dunes Here?
The dunes are guestimated to be anywhere from ten to fifteen thousand years of age. They formed from the Navajo Sandstone which dates back to the middle Jurassic period in a process known as the Venturi Effect.
The wind picks up velocity through a small area between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains, eroding them and carrying particles of sand, depositing them in the area that is now the dunes. These are the primary Sand Dunes on the Colorado Plateau.
why are the sand dunes coral pink?
You may start to wonder and ask yourself, why are the Coral Pink Sand Dunes pink? Wonder no more, because the answer is, it’s due to the iron oxides and minerals present in the particles. That gives it a pink, rust-like colour.
Are There Any Fun And Unique Facts About The Dunes?
Here are two fun and unique facts about the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. The dunes are slowly trying to run away; they move up to 50 feet a year! Yes, that is quite a slow pace, but none the less they are mobile. They also harbour their very own Coral Pink Tiger Beetle that is found nowhere else in the world.
Are There Specific Trails In This Park?
There are specific trails through this park, but you are allowed to venture off where ever you so please. Just mind the Off-Road vehicles that have permission to play here too.
The outskirts are so different from the interior that it looks out of place. Juniper and Pinion Pine trees dot the hills with groups of wildflowers, only to give way to a desert terrain at 6,000 feet of elevation.
walking In The Footsteps Of The Past
Does walking in the footsteps of the past sound like fun? If yes, then ask about the trailhead to the dinosaur tracks at the visitors centre.
Our Takeaway of Coral Pink Sand Dunes
We spent a few hours here exploring and climbing some of the dunes. We enjoyed it, Harvey had an absolute field-day digging and rolling in the sands. The weather was perfect with a slight breeze more prevalent at the tops of the dunes.
Would we come back? Yes, if we are passing through this area again, we would camp for a night or two and explore the area more thoroughly.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes IN A NUTSHELL
- Address: 12500 Sand Dune Rd, Kanab, UT 84741 (Located Southeast of Zion near the town of Kanab) Ph. # 435-648-2800
- Hours: 8 am – 10 pm daily
- The best time to go is between Spring and Fall
- Entrance Fees: $ 10-day use, $5.00 seniors
- $20.00 for the single campground site
- $40 for a double site
- $120 for group camping per night for up to 5 units
- Offering a Visitor Information Centre
- OHV trails and Horseback riding areas
- Showers and Daylight use pavilion
- Elevation: 6,000 feet
- Dog friendly but must be leashed at all times
You maybe interested in An Essential Guide To Enjoying National Parks Responsibly
Leave a Reply