During our travels to Utah in June 2020, we were looking for a place to camp near Zion National Park. After some research I came across Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. About 45 minutes from Zion National Park, it seemed like the perfect place for us to stay.
We booked on of the full hook up sites that were right on the dunes. We knew that we wanted to try sand boarding /sand sledding, both of which you can rent from the State Park for $25 a day. Our proximity to the dunes, made for easy sunset walks and play time in the dunes. This park is totally of the beaten path and feels so other worldly, we loved it!
Sand Boarding & Sand Sledding:
We were lucky enough to have our friend Nathan, who has a company called All Ways Adventure where he gives guided tours in Utah, come out to take us around the dunes. What a relief to not have to walk up these crazy steep dunes just to slide back down. Naively we also thought that since we knew how to snowboard, we would be able to sand board easily… Jokes on us!! One is nothing like the other. I laughed like a loon watching Steffen fall over and over again. Thankfully the sand is so soft that it was like falling into a very sandy pillow. If your a newbie, maybe stick to sand sledding!
About the Park:
Coral Pink Sand Dunes is an off-the-radar expanse of coral colored sand in Utah’s remote back country. ATVs and OHVs are allowed on about 90% of the dunes, but all of the dunes are open for hiking and just playing in the sand. As the only major sand dune field on the Colorado Plateau, this park is a unique geologic feature that should not be missed. Elevation is 6,000 feet.
Contact Information
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
P.O. Box 95
Kanab, UT 84741-0095
(435) 648-2800
Seasons/Open Hours
Daylight hours, seven days a week
Holiday Closures: None
Entrance Fees
$10.00 Day Use
$5.00 Senior Day Use
$20.00 Campground
Activities
Riding ATVs and other off-highway vehicles
Camping
Hiking
Horseback riding
Wildlife watching
Photography
Camping
Old Campground: $20 per single site, $40 for double sites
Pull through sites for vehicles up to 40 feet. (No hookups)
Group campsite is available.
New Campground: $30 per site
With water and electricity hookups
To close out this post, there are tons of OHV/ ATV trails beyond the park as well. Great chance to get out into the Utah wilderness and discover some river crossings, find some hidden slot canyons, etc. We also saw some great boondocking (primitive camping) spots further down the road. Utah’s abundance of public lands never ceases to amaze me. So many hidden gems to explore. Guess we’ll just have to keep going back!
