Coral Pink Sand Dunes
So Much More Than Just Sand Dunes…
Story and Photos By: Betsy Fessler
My destination portfolio wouldn’t be complete without visiting Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah. In the beginning I knew very little, except that the dunes are pink. Now that I have been there, I have a much broader knowledge and appreciation for the area.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is located in southern Utah. It is off Highway 89, about 20 driving miles west of Kanab. Located at 6,000 feet of elevation, Coral Pink can still get into the 90’s during the summer.
There are vault toilets and showers in the campgrounds, but otherwise no services (including cell service) there. It is best to bring everything you will need, including gas. However, groceries, gas, and services can be found in close by Kanab.
The dune field at Coral Pink may only be one mile wide and 6 miles long, but there are hundreds of miles of trails surrounding the dunes that are well worth exploring. Bring both paddles and dirt tires if you have them. We only brought our dirt tires, and spent most of our time on the trails.
There is a small campground at Coral Pink where at www.reserveamerica.com you can reserve sites. However, most of the spots are too short for long rigs like ours. There are also a few dry camping locations.
Mike Green from the Tri-State ATV Club told me about a new section of 9 campsites at Coral Pink. They have water and electricity hookups, and are built for large rigs. They are not online yet to reserve. They are available on a first-come, first served basis at the ranger’s station.
To verify, I contacted the ranger station. They suggested that we arrive early, to better ensure that we would get sites in the new section. The suggestion was on point. We got sites, settled in, and wasted no time exploring the area.
The first thing we did was ride the “pink” dunes. The dunes are not really pink. They are more of a reddish/beige color, and to our surprise, the sand is very fine. We completed a loop in the dunes, taking photos along the way, and then hit the trails.
We visited the Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Tracksite. There are interpretive panels at the parking area, depicting where to find the dinosaur tracks. To our disappointment, we left believing that the tracks were covered with sand and couldn’t be seen.
After our attempt to find dinosaur tracks, we crossed to the north side of the access road. We rode a nice loop that took us past Elephant Butte, and close to the Zion National Park border. We then rode the notorious, for experts only, Mail Drop Loop.
According to the website www.freeatvmaps.com, Mail Drop got its name because it was where “the Pony Express rider out of Kane County would go to, overlooking a 500 foot drop at the end of the Canaan Mountain ridge, and lower the mail bag down using a long cable and pulley.” We did not see the exact spot, but we did have a challenging, fun ride.
The next morning, Mike from the Tri-State ATV Club and his son-in-law met us. Though it rained, they led us to the top of the Vermillion Cliffs bordering the east side of the dunes. We then rode south into Arizona, to “The Beehives.” As the name would suggest, The Beehives are sandstone formations shaped just like beehives.
After visiting The Beehives, Mike took us to the Helldive Canyon Pictographs. It was there that I saw my first California Condors, perched at the top of a dead tree. The rare birds hung out and seemingly posed for photos. We then hiked to an alcove where different colored ancient images line the walls. Included are red baby feet, and images of people. Also located there are huge boulders with dozens of grinding holes.
We jumped back into our vehicles for the last stop of the day – The Indian Canyon Pictographs. The ½ mike hike down to the pictographs is narrow, wet and slick, and challenging at times. It descends down the side of a cliff, shaded by trees, to an alcove that is covered in vivid pictographs.
Rain ensued the following day. However, Mike and friends from the club drove to our camp anyway. We did not ride, but they kindly took our wet riding gear home to dry so we would be ready to ride the following day.
I walked to the observation deck at the state park that day. There are interpretive panels to read and learn more about how the dunes formed, and about the different plant and animal life there.
With only one day left to ride, Mike came again the following morning, and brought club members Jay, Leon, and Dannie. They arrived early, and lead us on an unforgettable ride. We headed east of the dunes, on the other side of Highway 89 to the Hog Canyon trailhead.
We rode to a point that overlooked the town of Kanab. Continuing, we climbed up slick rock and the amazing Hog Canyon. We stopped to tour the popular Mansard Petroglyph Site, and then saw the largest animal sanctuary in the country – Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
From Best Friends, we continued to the last, and most anticipated part of the day. We rode to, and hiked through the unforgettable Peek-A-Boo Canyon.
ATV and UTV tours are available at Coral Pink. Contact Gordon at Coral Pink ATV Tours 435-862-5084 or www.coralpinkatvtours.com.
The ranger station was very helpful in planning our trip. The phone number is 435-648-2800.
Huge thanks go out to Mike Green and friends for hosting us at Coral Pink. The Tri-State ATV Club hosts a large and popular jamboree. This year it will be March 13-19. Last year there were over 1000 participants. Go to www.thetristateatvclub.com for information and registration.
Plan a visit to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and discover all of the different landmarks, the richly colored sand, and the natural beauty the area has to offer. It is well worth the trip!