Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fans of arches will want to drive the dirt road to the trail head for the .5-mile
round-trip hike to scenic
Shakespeare Arch.
This trail also provides views of a
large chimney-rock formation.
HORSEBACKRIDING
To see Kodachrome Basin from the back of a horse contact
Red
costs $30 and a 2-hour ride costs $50.
WILDLIFE-WATCHING
Jackrabbits and chukar partridges are probably the most com-
monly seen wildlife in the park. You'll also hear the piñon jay and might see an
occasional coyote or rattlesnake.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
About 45 miles SE of Zion National Park
Long a favorite of dune-buggy enthusiasts, Coral Pink Sand Dunes has recently
been attracting an increasing number of campers, hikers, photographers, and all-
around nature lovers as well. While big boys—and some big girls—play with their
expensive motorized toys, others hike; hunt for wildflowers, scorpions, and lizar-
ds; or just sit and wiggle their toes in the smooth, cool sand. The colors are es-
pecially rich at sunrise and sunset. Early-morning visitors will find the tracks of
yesterday's dune buggies gone, replaced by the tracks of lizards, kangaroo rats,
snakes, and the rest of the park's animal kingdom, who venture out in the coolness
of night, once all the people have departed.
Essentials
At about 6,000 feet of elevation, the park gets warm in summer, with temperatures
easily reaching the mid-90s Fahrenheit (in the neighborhood of 35°C). Winters are
usually relatively mild, although snow and bitterly cold temperatures are not un-
heard of. Our choice for a visit is May, June, September, or October, when it's de-
lightfully cool at night but warm enough during the day to enjoy burying your toes
in the cooling sand. There are also fewer people there at those times.
GETTING THERE
From Zion National Park, take Utah 9 east to U.S. 89, turn right
(south) and continue to the park entrance road. From downtown Kanab, go about
8 miles north on U.S. 89, then southwest (left) on Hancock Road for about 12 miles
to get to the park.
INFORMATION&VISITORCENTER
For copies of the park brochure and off-highway-
vehicle regulations, contact the
parkofice
at P.O. Box 95, Kanab, UT 84741-0095
