“Venture onto a shifting sea of red sand”
Venture onto a shifting sea of red sand. Changed by winds, these mountains and hills of sand can move as much as 50 feet per year. With areas for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and those with non-motorized pursuits, the dunes offer adventures for all. The geology of the sand dunes is an intriguing subject. The sand comes from Navajo sandstone from the geologic period call Middle Jurassic. The same iron oxides and minerals that give us spectacular red rock country are responsible for this landscape of coral pink sand.Sand dunes are created by three factors: Sand, high winds,and a unique influence upon the wind. The notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains causes this unique influence. The wind is funneled through the notch, thereby increasing wind velocity to a point where it can carry sand grains from the eroding Navajo sandstone.This phenomenon is known as the Venturi Affect. Once the wind passes through the notch and into the open valley, the wind velocity decreases, causing the sand to be deposited.These dunes are estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 years old.Coral Pink Sand Dunes support a diverse population of insects, including the Coral Pink tiger beetle that is found only here. Melting snow often creates small ponds on the dunes that support amphibians such as salamanders and toads.The park is also a popular destination for ATV riders. About 90% of the dunes are open for riding, but all of the dunes are open for hiking and just playing in the sand.Opened to the public as a state park in 1963.
Best campsite ever. Sand is so soft. Great climbing tree. Fire pit, table, SHOWERS!, bathroom, delicious running water at each site. You can easily walk over to the sand dunes, which are quite the experience. Feels like you’re on mars. The weather was perfect in end of May (cool at night, warm during the day with a breeze). The site cost $20 something, which is well worth it for the delightful experience that is Coral Ridge. Would go again in a heartbeat!
Rippling arcs of pink-colored sand welcome you as you enter the park. Contrasted by blue skies, juniper and pinion pines, and steep red cliffs, the park is a wonderful place for camping, photography, off-highway vehicle riding, and 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.
There's not a lot to do here without an atv but the dunes are beautiful amongst the rugged backdrop. Take the extra effort to hike the larger dunes to make the experience a little more memorable.
Had a great time. Hiked and sandboarded down the dunes. Don't just stop and look. Kick off your shoes and walk the dunes or at least one. Nice, strong and hot showers in the campground. Friendly staff.
Beautiful. Come prepared. Lots of extra water, a pop up shade and a blanket to sit on. It is a good 1/2 mile walk up and down dunes sinking in the sand. Think walking on the beach x10. Sandboarding and sledding are both fun. You don't have to go all the way to the big dune to have fun with it. We choose a shorter dune and my 10 and 16 yr old still had fun.
3 night stay. The Campgrounds are really well thought out with a nice amount of room and all the amenities you’ll need. Clean showers and bathrooms. The Dunes are beautiful, though if you’re not bringing an ATV there really is not much to do here(Sand surfing is fun, but it’s not worth picking this location) One of the highlights for us was actually the visitor center. It’s not packed with gifts though you can buy shirts & stickers. It’s a room full of charts, sand samples, taxidermy & info about the area. The East gate to Zion is about 50 minutes from the site. GO EARLY or you’ll have a longer drive to the South Gate.
Nice stop to watch the sun set. Plenty of deer in the area, too.
After a night in Kanab we stopped by here on our way to Zion. It was a nice 20 min drive and the main road leading to it had tons of alcoves to pull off into for some under the radar camping. The dunes themselves are closed to all but 4x4 offroaders - its a nice place, but I wish I brought a dirtbike.
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Coral Pink Sand Dunes Campground
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- State park or forest
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 40
- Max Length
- 32 ft
- Max Stay
- 14
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Paved Sites
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Fifty Amp
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Full Hookup
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Rec Facilities
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Pull Through
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Tent Sites
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Dump Station
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Big Rigs
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Age Restricted
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Boondock
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Cabin Sites
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Dispersed Sites
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Firewood
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Fulltime Residents
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Group Tent Sites
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Laundry
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Mobile Homes
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Open Seasonally
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Permit Required
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Potable Water
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Propane
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Public Water
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Pull Through RV Sites
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Showers
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Standard Tent Sites
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Water Hookup
Campground, Parking, Restrooms
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