Located in Kane County, Utah, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 17.2 km (10.7 mi) W of Kanab.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a state park in southwestern Utah, United States, located between Mount Carmel Junction and Kanab, south and west of U.S. Highway 89 in Kane County. The park features uniquely pink-hued sand dunes located beside red sandstone cliffs. The dunes are formed from the erosion of pink-colored Navajo Sandstone surrounding the park. High winds passing through the notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains pick up loose sand particles and then drop them onto the dunes as a result of the Venturi effect. The dunes are estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old. The park allows camping, hiking, off-road vehicle driving, and photography. There is a conservation area of 265 acres (1.07 km2), and the total grounds include 3,370 acres (13.6 km2). It was established as a Utah state park in 1963. Sandboarding is also a popular activity, sandboards...From the Wikipedia article “Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:12 AM | 60° ENE | 8:55 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 38m |
Local time (America/Denver), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 5:18 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:45 PM – 4:15 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:50 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 10:48 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Cave
Dark Sky Place
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ponderosa Grove Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Watchman Campground30 km (18 mi) · reservable
- South Campground (Ut)30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park?
What time is golden hour at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park?
How far is Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park from Kanab?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.