|
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.
The coral color of the dunes comes
from Navajo Sandstone.
|
|
|
Coral Pink Sand Dunes Geology
Dunes to Mountains to Dunes Again
Millions of years ago the Coral Pink Sand Dunes were dunes of sand, then they
changed into Navajo Sandstone, only to once again breakdown and return to piles
of sand. This cycle will repeat itself over and over again. Even the towering
monoliths of Zion National Park will one day break down into piles of sand.
Throwing Sand Around
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are a feature of the Colorado Plateau and the Vermilion
Cliffs. The dunes are an accumulation of loose sand thought to be ten to fifteen-thousand
years old. For a sand dune to form, certain conditions need to exist. High velocity
wind (at least 10 mph) must blow in a single direction across an empty desert
environment. In addition, there must be a unique influence upon the wind, allowing
the suspension and deposit of sand.
Venturi Effect
A notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains funnel the prevailing wind
of the Arizona Strip between the two mountains. Fine grains of sand toss and
turn in turmoil, wielded by wind. Sand grains are carried through the air and
deposited when and where the wind calms; in this case into the Coral Pink Sand
Dunes State Park, building a unique desertscape of uninterrupted dunes. This
effect is known as the Venturi effect. Wind continues to organize and create
hills and flat areas along the dunes. Today a beautiful landscape of sand exists
set against a dark backdrop of Vermillion Cliffs.
Sitting High
There are several hundred feet and two-thousand acres of sand piled along the
Sevier Fault and the park is growing. A dune of sand usually accumulates to its
mass another fifty to one-hundred fifty feet each year. Sitting at over 6000',
the Coral Pink Sand Dunes is the second highest dune in North America, 150' lower
than the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado.
Are the Dunes in Arizona or Utah?
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes lie just north of the Utah-Arizona state-line in Utah.
The closest town is Mount Carmel Junction, 11 miles away in Utah. Past the state
park entrance, the road continues. It becomes a dirt road, that may be impassible
when wet, and continues through the Arizona Cane Beds to Highway 389.
Are the Dunes really Coral Pink?
This is a matter of opinion. Visitors have suggested they are and they are not.
Some say the sands are pink in color and others say they are orange or brown.
The pink tint is apparent late and early in the day. The sand is formed from
Navajo Sandstone, colored from iron oxide, so it only makes sense that the color
of the sand, is in-deed, coral pink or reddish.
Next
|
