|
Coral Pink Sand Dunes Lodging
Reservations
1.888.848.6358
East
Zion Lodge
Vacation House
East Zion Cabins
Budget Lodging
Group
Lodging
East
Zion Golf
East
Zion RV Park
Vacation
Packages
Family
Reunions
Zion
Bus Tours
Business
Retreat
Southwest Parks
Zion National
Park
Bryce
Canyon
Grand
Canyon
Grand
Staircase
Cedar Breaks
Dixie
National Forest
Red
Canyon
Coral
Pink Sand Dunes
Slot
Canyons
Coyote
Buttes
Toroweap
Resource
Exchange
& Favorite SW Sites
Sand
Dunes Forum
The Ultimate Southwest Vacation includes Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park!
Stay in Mt. Carmel Jct., the heart of the parks, and visit
the treasures of the Southwest.
Grand Staircase 9 miles
Sand Dunes 11 miles
Zion Park 12 miles
Dixie Forest 22 miles
Cedar Breaks 45 miles
Red Canyon 47 miles
Coyote Butte 57 miles
Bryce Canyon 60 miles
South Canyon 75 miles
North Rim 85 miles
Toroweap 90 miles
Plan your Coral Pink Sand Dunes Vacation with our Utah Maps
and Information
In these pages you will find insiders information on Coral
Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This detailed guide includes road maps, park maps,
pictures, trail beta, backpacking, history, fees, geology, flora, fauna, campgrounds
and things for kids to do.
Making summer memories in the Utah national parks, state parks
and Utah national monuments.
Utah!
|
|
Coral
Pink Sand Dunes Map
Southern Utah Map
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
From Zion National Park. Exit Zion Park through the east entrance and drive 12
miles to the junction U-9 & US-89. This is Mount
Carmel Junction. Turn
south on US-89. Turn-off to the sand dunes 3 miles from Mt. Carmel Junction.
Follow Yellow Jacket road for 8 miles to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State
Park.
Delicate wild flowers thrive in the sand at the dunes. The
dune sunflower and dune evening primrose are common sights at the Coral Pink
Sand Dunes.
|
|
|
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Although the sand dunes are set at a 6000' elevation, the
winters are mild. They get snow just a few times each year. Summers are dry,
until September, when the rains begin. Although moisture is scarce, a variety
of plants, trees and flowers exist. These hardy plants include the ponderosa
pine, pinyon pine, Welsh's milkweed, escarpment milk vetch, annual paintbrush,
Rocky Mountain bee plant, coral root, Brandegee's sand plant, golden bush, flax
flower, sweet clover, Palmer's penstemon, buttercup, globe mallow, serviceberry,
Mormon tea, cliffrose, gambel oak and dune grasses that reach up to 6' tall.
Unusual Eco-Zone
There are two distinct vegetation zones within the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State
Park. The elevation where most spend time is 6000'. It is where wildflowers,
grass, pinyon pines, Utah junipers and yucca cactus thrive and work to stabilize
the dunes. Above 6000', the towering ponderosa pines are evident. These Rocky
Mountain Ponderosa Pines are the predominant pine of the area.
Ponderosa Pine
The ponderosa pine has a unique butterscotch odor and commonly grows at the higher
elevations, ranging 6000' to 9000', in Southern Utah. This tree does well in
the arid climate of the Southwest. It is able to live on very little moisture.
The needles are long and grouped into bundles of three. Notice how branches are
absent in the first section of the tree. Seedlings as well as trees at various
mature stages. The few vernal (ephemeral) pools existing at the dunes are often
associated with stands of ponderosa pine.
Flowers on the Dunes
There are a few hardy flowers living on the undulating sands of the dunes.
The muted pinks and yellows give color to the miles of pink sands.
Desert Globe Mallow
Seen in the banner for this page, the desert globe mallow blooms summer to fall.
Native Americans chewed the plant and used it as a burn poultice.
Dune Evening Primrose
Also seen in the banner, the fragrant and delicate primrose opens its petals
at sunset and keeps them open until the heat of the day causes them to wilt.
Dune Sunflower
This flower is related to the common sunflower but it has
adapted to its sandy environment. This flower blooms in the spring and sometimes
again in the fall.
Next
|
