Description: This state park is a reasonable run off the main road, and in some places the road is unpaved and quite rough, and so makes slow going. We had planned a slow day in the schedule...so a late start...a bit of time in Pipe Springs National Park...and then we headed out here...and planned to have a BBQ for lunch before heading back to Kanab.
So we arrived, and there was a charge of six dollars for a vehicle to enter. We didn't both going in to the visitors' center (which looked pretty small) and instead carried on to the car park close to the dunes. There is an accessible slope leading up to a viewing platform...but then again you can also go exploring the dunes.
And we climbed a few...that was hard work...as your foot does go deep into the sand. We did try and slide down...but you'd need something like a plastic tray to really make that work, but it did make us laugh so hard in our attempt.
The sand was more a terracota colour rather than coral pink...but I reckon in the light of sunset it may well be pinker. It was quite beautiful though even if not pink.
The Dunes are formed by the erosion of pink-colored Navajo Sandstone in the area, but then due to a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains means that high winds pick up loose sand particles, are forced through the notch and then drop them as the wind speed decreases in a more open area - which is apparently called the Venturi effect. The dunes are formed from these wind carried dropped eroded particles. Well that's the science behind them apparently but they are also fun to explore.
This is a popular spot for ATVs but I liked the fact that there were none there when we were...the peace and quiet was good to enjoy the spot...and meant that I wasn't worried about one hitting me as they zoom about.
Having had an hour's fun on the dunes...the wind was getting up and we decided the guys had enough time to cook the meat on the BBQ so we headed back.
There were a few picnic tables with useful grills beside them. We got a nice shady table under a small tree...and enjoyed our lunch, all the while noticing the wind getting stronger, and dark clouds rolling all around us...and seeing rain in the distance but all the while enjoying the blue sky above us. It was useful to have wet wipes before lunch to try and get rid of the sand on our hands. Noting sand...you might what to take care of cameras with all those sand particles. There was also a water tap close by which meant we could wet the coals down to put them out.
This place is fun for an hour or two...probably more if you have kids ...or even more if you have ATV to explore. With the sand,its hard work to explore on foot...so don't plan on going too far. It was a good place to have a picnic.
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