The Kanab & Coral Pink Sand Dunes Area Desert

Our first free day in Utah we headed straight for the nearest State Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, just north west of Kanab about 20 miles. As soon as we hit the desert we found it necessary to stop often, trying out sandy roads, exploring the desert and choosing a campground to have a picnic at. We had stopped so often by the time we reached the State Park we passed it up and just kept exploring the areas around it. It was a 98 degree day and deep sand had already ruined Ross’s shoes (and my foot were cooking in my black Vans). Walking around in sand dunes seemed best done on a slightly cooler day.

The desert around Kanab is fertile with desert flower that look like they should shrivel in the heat but instead thrive. The sun was so bright that colors seemed more vivid than any time I can remember before. The pink coral sand in the bright sun, contrasted with greens so much that the greens seemed like greens we’d never seen before – something I knew immediately could never be experienced in a photo, in fact the photos fail to show the true sharpness of the area to a disappointing amount.

Here are some of the things we saw that hot, intensely bright day.