Pink Sands & Broken Cameras: Our Scenic Loop to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
When you travel, sometimes the most memorable days are the ones where you have to completely pivot your plans. On our very first official day exploring Zion National Park, we started the morning with high hopes of wading through the famous Narrows trail. But with the spring snowmelt making the Virgin River roar at dangerous levels, the trail was closed.
We did a short, steep hike up to the stunning Weeping Rock, we found ourselves with a free afternoon and a desire to see more of the region’s incredible geology.
We decided to jump back in the car for a scenic loop drive from our lodge—a route that typically takes about 2.5 hours of pure driving time without stops—just to enjoy the sweeping landscape views. But as the best road trips go, our absolute favorite moment of the afternoon was completely unplanned. While cruising along Route 89, a roadside sign caught our eye: Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. We looked at each other and thought, “Sand dunes? In the middle of Utah’s red rocks? Yes, please!”
Discovering Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
We pulled off the highway and into Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park , and our jaws immediately dropped. The contrast of the landscape is unreal. You are driving past classic Utah desert vegetation and dark green pinon pines, and suddenly you are staring at an expansive sea of fine, brilliant pink-orange sand.
This unique landscape was created over thousands of years by a geological phenomenon known as the Venturi effect. High winds funnel through a narrow gap in the nearby mountains, picking up speed and carrying fine grains of eroded Jurassic Navajo sandstone before dumping them right here as the wind hits the open valley. The resulting pink powder is a thriving ecosystem all its own, even playing host to the rare Coral Pink Tiger Beetle, which is completely endemic to these dunes!
We ended up spending about 1 hour and 45 minutes here, completely captivated. We kicked off our shoes and just spent the afternoon walking along the ridges, breathing in the fresh air, and enjoying the sheer uniqueness of the day.
How Do They Compare to Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes?
Coming from Colorado, we are definitely no strangers to massive piles of sand. We’ve spent time exploring Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, so we naturally found ourselves comparing the two:
- The Scale: Colorado’s dunes are towering, massive giants that feel like an intense mountain range rising out of the valley floor. Coral Pink Sand Dunes are much lower, gentler, and more undulating, making for a much more relaxed, casual stroll.
- The Elevation & Dune Heights: In Colorado, Star Dune stands as a towering giant, measuring a massive 741 feet from its base to its summit, with a peak elevation that reaches a breathless 8,617 feet above sea level. By comparison, the rolling pink waves at Coral Pink Sand Dunes are much more approachable, topping out at around 100 feet tall and sitting at a much more comfortable overall elevation of 6,000 feet. You can hike the ridges here without feeling like you completely ran out of oxygen!
- The Color: While Colorado features dark, earthy, golden-brown grains, the sand in this park is formed from the erosion of nearby Navajo sandstone cliffs. The unique iron oxides give the sand a distinct, soft pastel pink and vibrant orange hue that changes beautifully depending on how the clouds cast their shadows.
The Great Camera Disaster (and a Credit Card Lifesaver)
As we were sitting down on the soft sand to soak in the views, disaster struck. I fumbled my camera, and it tumbled directly into the fine pink powder.
If you know anything about camera gear, you know that sand is its ultimate nemesis. The gritty grains worked their way deep into the lens mechanics and the body, grinding everything to a halt. My camera wouldn’t turn on or move.
I was absolutely devastated in the moment, but thankfully, two things saved the day:
The Memory Card Was Intact: All our incredible photos from the morning at the edge of the Narrows and our steep climb to Weeping Rock were completely safe.
Credit Card Perks for the Win! This was the very first time I actually put my credit card’s extended warranty and purchase protection benefits to the test. I filed a claim, and to my absolute amazement, they covered the cost to get the camera fully repaired. It was a stressful mishap with a wonderfully happy ending!
Adding to the Bucket List: Off-Roading
While we explored entirely on foot, it didn’t take long to realize that this park is an absolute paradise for motorsport enthusiasts. About 90% of the dunes are completely open to off-highway vehicles (OHVs). While the park was fairly empty by us, we did see a truck and ATV cresting the pink ridges and driving all over – it looked like an absolute blast. We don’t have an off-roading permit, but seeing them out there instantly earned a spot on my travel bucket list. Next time we visit, I am definitely renting a sand dune buggy! (UPDATED: in 2024 we rented ATVs in Stockholm Sand Dunes!)
You can rent both stand-up sandboards and sit-down sleds directly at the park’s Visitor Center for a fee, which includes wax. Rentals are on a first-come, first-serve basis, but you can also bring your own. We will have to try sandboarding too!
Stumbling onto this park also sparked a bit of a new travel obsession for us. It made us realize just how wildly diverse sand fields across the country can be, and it officially got us dreaming about adding other famous U.S. dunes to our future road trip bucket list. We definitely want to check out the blindingly white gypsum waves at White Sands National Park in New Mexico, the massive freshwater coastal hills along Lake Michigan, and even the towering coastal dunes out in Oregon.
Ending the Loop at Edge of the World Brewery
After thoroughly dusting the pink sand off our feet, we jumped back into the car to finish our 2.5-hour driving loop. As we crossed the state line into Colorado City, Arizona, we spotted the perfect place to grab a late afternoon drink and recount our camera mishap: Edge of the World Brewery.
It was a fantastic, low-key spot to grab a local pint, relax, and laugh about how a simple scenic drive turned into one of the most memorable afternoons of our entire Utah adventure.
How we spent 2 days in Zion National Park (link coming soon)