October, 2017 – During our stay in the area around Kanab, Utah, we took a day trip to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Just like the name of the park, this is an area that is filled with sand dunes that are vibrant hues of orange, pink and coral, depending on the light.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah
In the distance there were soft, gentle mounds of sand that caught the late afternoon shadows in their grasp.
Rolling dunes.
On the edges of the dunes lots of determined vegetation clung to life in the arid land.
Ragged plants eek out a life in the sand.
A tiny plant is half buried by sand.
We even spotted a beautiful yellow wildflower that was blooming on a scraggly bush. The wind was whipping and the flower was dancing all around, but for a split second the wind stopped and we got a photo of this one lone flower.
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As we looked down at the orange sand, we saw footprints from all kinds of creatures.
Who went there?
Then the dunes opened up before us and they were virgin and pure, showing only the traces of the wind that had left the sand rippled.
Virgin sand.
This is dune buggy and side-by-side heaven, and the tracks from these machines were visible here and there.
Lots of folks come here to ride their buggies in the dunes.
But it was the naturally patterned sand that caught our eyes. We felt like we were the first explorers on the moon as we looked back and saw our tracks in the wind kissed sand.
First footprints.
Big wide dunes.
If you enjoy photography, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a great place to roam around and take pics!
Capturing the scene on camera.
Waves of sand.
There’s something about a huge open expanse of sand that just begs for a personal imprint. This sand is very light and airy, so the best way to draw was with our feet. I looked up, and Mark was busy drawing something in the distance.
Mark creates a picture…
…and then walks on.
As I got closer I saw what it was…
A heart. How sweet!
The amazing thing about these dunes is that the wind never quits and the canvas landscape is forever being erased and made virgin once again.
One particular sweeping crest in the dunes had been attracting us since we first looked out on the vast sandscape.
Light and shadow on rolling hills of soft sand.
As we approached we could see that the wind was continually blowing its top off.
The wind blows the sand off the top of the dune’s crest.
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are continually shifting and moving as the wind pushes them, grain by grain, this way and that. The end result is persistent soft mounds and curves that can be tread by feet and wheels every day without ever bearing a permanent mark.
A gust of wind blows a veil of sand off the dune.
Even as we walked back out of the dunes, we saw our own footprints had already begun to disappear. One grain at a time, the entire playground of dunes was shape shifting.
Ever-changing dunes.
There is a ton to see and do near this part of Utah, including stunning Zion National Park, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Park, Red Canyon, the slot canyon at Wire Pass Trail, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Old Western Movie Sets and even watching the release of a golden eagle back into the wild.
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So when you see the sign for Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park whip by on the freeway, it can be all too easy to keep going and skip it, as we have many times. But if you are planning an RV trip to southern Utah, it’s very worthwhile to make the turn and go romp around in the dunes for a while!
When RVing in Southern Utah, don’t miss Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park!
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More info about Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park:
- Official Website for Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- Reserve America Reservations for Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Campground
- Location of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (Google Maps)
Related Posts:
- White Sands National Monument – New Mexico’s Desert Dunes
- Index of articles from our RV travels nearby in Southwestern Utah
- Index of articles from our RV travels nearby in Northern Arizona
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The pictures certainly makes me want to add this to the list, those taken with the camera and the ones painted by your words, Oh well, back to work for now. God willing, we’ll be in a RV one day soon experiencing his majestic creation! Thanks for another great story.
Thank you so much for your comment, Jeff. I always hope, as I write, that out pics and stories will brighten the days of hard working folks like you who have vivid dreams but aren’t yet in a position to be living them. Have faith — you’ll be out in that RV soon!
Nice photography and commentary as usual. It seems you were the only ones there, although maybe the place is so vast that it only seems like you are the only ones there. I ‘m going to put this on my bucket list.
It’s a pretty big place, JR, and we could hear various buggies tooling around on the dunes in the distance. But only one came by us and we saw only two other people on foot. It is definitely a bucket list worthy place but being so close to the big name national parks it gets overlooked — not a bad thing!!
Such subtle colors in this dream world…ever-changing, always pristine – swept clean by Mother Nature ! But how does the sparse vegetation survive in those rolling hills of sand ????
It is a magical spot…and those little plants are made of sturdy stock!
So beautiful! We have gone to the national parks in this area but missed this state park completely. Thank you for opening my eyes to it so that we won’t miss it if we pass that way again! Gorgeous photography!
Thank you, Emily! There is so much to see in that neck of the woods that it takes many visits to explore it all. I hope you get back to the area and enjoy the billowing sands as much as we did!