Visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah
Sand dunes are great. But since I don’t own an off-highway vehicle (OHV) or all-terrain vehicle (ATV), I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a visit to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park near Kanab, Utah. After spending a few hours hiking the dunes, sledding the slopes and photographing the landscape, I discovered a spot that’s great for families. Even those without OHVs.
Here’s a rundown of tips to help you prepare for and enjoy your non-OHV experience on the sand dunes. We made a few mistakes, so these tips are organized from first-hand experience.
Preparing to Explore the Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Our mistake was walking out on the sand dunes in shoes and without water. Our error required us to walk back to the van to dump out a sandbox-load of sand from our socks and shoes. We opted to go barefoot, which worked out once we got across the black parking lot.
I grabbed a backpack and threw in a few bottles of water. We we needed something to rinse our mouths out and face off after crashing on the sled. The wind was blowing sand everywhere, so I’m sure we ate our share of sand, too.
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Here’s a summary of specific tips to help you not fall victim to our mistakes.
- Bring water with you. You do NOT want to become dehydrated. The water also helps you rinse off when needed.
- Don’t wear chapstick or lipstick. Sand will stick to sticky things like that. Especially if you face plant in the sand when you fall off the sled.
- Wear flipflops or walk barefoot. Any type of shoe allows sand to build up inside and take precious room away from your toes.
- Wear sunscreen. It’s important to protect your skin. Be sure to rub the sunscreen in all the way so it doesn’t become a sticky spot for sand to stick.
- Plan to be covered in sand. After returning to our hotel, we were washing sand out of our hair, eyebrows, arms and more. Sand will fall out of any pocket, so maybe take your clothes off in the shower so you can then rinse it all down the drain.
Sledding or Boarding on Sand
Up until a day or two before arriving at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, I asked some Facebook hiking friends if this state park was worth visiting. I’d checked out the park’s website and only found information on camping, ATVs/OHVs and a short hike.
Someone said I should bring or rent a sled to use on the sand dunes. What? You could do that? I didn’t have a solid sled at home, but I was told for $25 you could rent either a sled or a “snowboard” at the Visitor’s Center for the day.
After entering the park by showing our annuals parks pass, we parked by the Visitor’s Center and went inside. At the front desk you can pay $25 and pick up the wooden sled (or board) and a little thing of wax. Apply the wax to the bottom of the sled about every third run down the dunes.
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Start on a shorter hill so you can get a feel for how to ride and steer the sled. Our mistake was climbing to the top of the largest dune and trying to ride down the backside. We both biffed it early on, and the wind was knocked out of me as I crashed.
So we migrated to a shorter hill and got the hang of the sled. We made a few more runs, but the constant trekking back up the dunes is enough to get your heart pumping and wear you out pretty quick.
If you have a flock of kids with you, have them take turns and that may elongate the amount of hours you get on your rental.
Don’t forget to drop the sled back off at the Visitor’s Center when you’re done.
Camping at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Twenty-two campsites are available in the park, providing easy access. Best of all, the campgrounds offer hot showers. If you aren’t staying in the campground, but you want to take a shower after playing in the sand, they sell passes for $2.
Make reservations online for a campsite at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Sites are available for RVs or tents. Modern bathrooms are available, too (which is something my wife LOVES about Utah State Parks).
Overview of Using Off-highway Vehicles at the Park
As mentioned, I don’t own an OHV. But that is a big element of people who visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. There are 1,200 acres of open riding area. But there are also regulations you must follow to keep you and others safe:
- All operators must have a valid driver’s license.
- Riders 17 and under MUST wear a helmet. I encourage EVERYONE wear a helmet and protective gear.
- Every vehicle must have an orange whiptail flag.
- Check in at the Visitor’s Center to know where you can and can’t ride.
The Details
Address: Located 22 miles west of Kanab on Sand Dunes Road. Approximately 310 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Cost: $10 per vehicle ($5 for Utah seniors). Campgrounds are an additional fee, ranging from $25-$35 for single sites, and $50-$150 for double and group sites.
Hours: Daylight hours, seven days a week.
Website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/coral-pink/
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