Life, as of Late

Visiting Southern Utah? Here’s a place you absolutely have to visit during your trip – The Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park located in Kanab, Utah. Since moving to Utah last year, it never ceases to amaze me how vastly diverse the terrain in this state is. Made up of sand from eroding Navajo Sandstone, the sands in this state park are estimated to be between 10 and 15 thousand years old. This place looked like something out of a movie and is an incredible family-friendly attraction to enjoy with your kids.

We had originally set out on our road trip from American Fork down to Southern Utah to explore Zion National Park. To make the 8-hour round trip drive worth it, I decided to research some great outdoor adventures for families in the area. Once I came across the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, I knew we had to make a pit-stop there. After checking into our hotel in Kanab in the late afternoon, we decided to head over to the Sand Dunes in the evening just before the sunset. Southern Utah can get incredibly hot in the summer time, even in late August, so to mitigate that, we planned to arrive around 6pm as the sun began to set.

From the town of Kanab to the Sand Dunes, the drive is about 25 minutes long, mostly on a long, two-way stretch of road. The road is unlit, so just keep that in mind if you plan to visit around sunset. The drive back will be dark, but the road is paved and utilizing google or apple maps will get you where you need to go with ease. Upon arrival, you’ll enter through the Visitor’s Center which is usually in operation between March and October. There you’ll need to pay the daily use fee per vehicle (annual Utah State passes are also accepted).

At the Sand Dunes, there are a ton of family-friendly activities for you to enjoy including camping, ATV tours, and sand board or sand sledding! We opted for the latter, but you could of course, hike or play in the sand and simply enjoy the beauty. Sand boards and sand sleds can be rented from the Visitor Center for $25 per board and must be returned 30 minutes prior to closing. Their hours vary as they remain open based on daylight hours so be sure to double check with the attendant what time you should return them.

Once we picked up our boards, we drove over to a closer parking lot where there is an elevated observation area for individuals who’d like to take in the beauty from a distance. This would be perfect for anyone who might be limited in their physical abilities to move freely through the sand or for any very young children or infants. Around 90% of the park is open for ATV use, but there are a set of notable peaks which are primarily used for sand boarding/sledding. The trek, even on flat ground, can be rather strenuous, especially when hauling equipment, so I’d recommend bringing only your essentials.

To my surprise, the park was unbelievably quiet. At most, you may hear ATV riders in the distance, but for the most part, it is incredibly peaceful. Once we made the trek to the base of the dunes, we let our kids have a ball and play in the sand. Talk about major sand box! Our kids absolutely loved this and it kept them occupied as my husband and I took turns going down the hill. As you can probably imagine, the trek to the top is rather draining, but definitely well-worth it. As someone who’s never snowboarded, I found sand boarding to be pretty tricky. Despite having the board straps which keep your feet planted, the steep descent proved to be a challenge. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed trying (and failing) to make it from the peak to the base, but you can always sled down instead. Sledding proved to be much easier, but be sure to distribute your weight mostly toward the back of your board, slightly lifting the front as you slide down for a smoother ride. The Visitor Center will also provide you with a small block of wax which you can use to apply to the bottom of your board as a lubricant. This will also help for a smoother ride.

All in all, I could not recommend this place more. Whether you plan on sand boarding, sledding, excursion on an ATV, or simply take in the breathtaking nature, you will not be disappointed. Our kids had a blast and we genuinely did as well. If you’re ever in the area, I would highly suggest stopping here, even if just to see the beauty of the dunes. I will always be in awe of the absolute beauty Utah seems to endlessly offer us.