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

“Otherworldly” is often thrown around to describe beautiful places across the globe, from driftwood beaches and volcanic wonders to polar landscapes and multicolored rock formations. But the term encapsulates the scene you’ll find at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in southwestern Utah.

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).

You can visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park seven days a week, all year round, during daylight hours. It’s typically recommended that you plan your trip for the spring, early summer, or autumn to avoid the most extreme temperatures. The two concession stands also operate from March through October.

Fun fact: This is the only place in the world where you can find the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, one of the rarest insects in the U.S. You’re most likely to spot one on a warm, sunny morning or in the late afternoon between April and mid-June, or in September. To help preserve the population, please do not attempt to collect any of the beetles to take home with you.

Outside of simply admiring this natural setting and taking as many pictures as possible, there are a couple of other ways to enjoy the park. You can hike all of the dunes, or rent sand sleds and sand boards on-site. A majority of the dunes—about 90 percent, according to Utah’s tourism board website—can be explored via ATV. Many travelers opt to take a four-wheeler down the Sand Highway, a one-way trail into a canyon on the boundary of the dunes, or the South Boundary Trail, which winds along the eastern side of the main dune area. If you’d prefer to go with a tour guide, book a two-hour “cruise and surf” adventure with Roam Outdoor Adventure Co. For those who are a bit more adventurous, All Ways Adventures offers a rappelling tour.

To spend even more time in the park, visitors can stay overnight in one of the two campgrounds (reservations are recommended). The day-use fee of $15 per vehicle can be paid online or at the park, while Utah residents can opt to use the Utah State Park Pass to cover their admission.