This Underrated Utah Park Has Pink Sand, Giant Dunes, and Stunning Sunsets

"Sitting at 6,000 feet above sea level, the 3,730-acre Utah state park is known for its gorgeous pink dunes, which are particularly striking at sunset. If you're familiar with the red rock country synonymous with southwestern U.S. states like Nevada and Arizona, you may immediately see the resemblance. The sand here was created by the erosion of nearby Navajo sandstone; the rock gets its reddish-orange color from the iron oxide mineral hematite."

"In more scientific terms, the dunes were formed because of something called the Venturi effect. As the wind blows between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains, the velocity increases and carries the sand grains from the sandstone. Once the wind enters the open valley, the velocity decreases, and these grains are deposited. The dunes themselves are estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old (this area wasn't open to the public as a state park until 1963)."

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park sits at 6,000 feet elevation and covers 3,730 acres in southwestern Utah. The park's pink dunes derive from erosion of nearby Navajo sandstone, colored by the iron oxide hematite. Strong winds funneled between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains accelerate (Venturi effect), carry sand into the valley, then deposit grains as wind slows. The dunes are estimated at 10,000–15,000 years old. The park is open daily year-round during daylight; spring, early summer, and autumn are recommended to avoid extreme temperatures. Concession stands operate March through October. The park hosts the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, a nationally rare insect; observers should not collect specimens.

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