Traveling Talleys
Talley Your Adventure
#TalleyYourAdventure at Coral Pink Sand Dunes #FindYourStatePark
One of the best camping experiences that Clinton and I had was when we stayed at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. This was back in 2011, but it is memerable for the wonderful location – beautiful and remote – and for the awesome dunes that we were able to walk around on during our trip. I was even able to see the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle in action!
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park was only a side trip back in 2011. Today it is between Page and Kanab and is an easy day drive on U.S. Highway 89. The park is in southwestern Utah and features Navajo Sandstone – just in a different form! The dunes are formed as the Navajo Sandstone slowly erods by high winds. Upon arrival, visitors will notice a deck that is easily accessible from the parking lot for a quick view of the dunes. We opted to walk out on the dunes themselves, with many other visitors following suit. There were a few ATV’s out and about driving among the dunes. It looked like a lot of fun!
During our second visit we included a short hike for the #TalleyYourMiles campaign! The dunes are hard to walk on if you don’t have the right gear since it is literally soft sand that was blown through a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains that surround the park. The dunes are estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old. That’s a lot of erosion! The hills of sand can move as much as 50 feet per year.
The park is open year round and we’ve visited both over the summer and during the winter. While it was cold it was a beautiful day when we visited recently. Wear sunglasses as even in the winter the glare on the dunes from the sun can be intense! There is an $8 daily entrance fee and to camp is $20, but the price is well worth the experience. Camping, hiking, off-road vehicle driving, and photography describe the many activities that can take place while visiting this gorgeous park. It was established as a state park in 1963 and includes 3,370 acres – including a conservation are of 265 acres.
Visiting the park can easily be done as a half day or full day experience and even the drive in and around the area is beautiful and worth the adventure. Take the long way around if you are ever in the area and add this state park as a destination!
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