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South
West USA
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
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| As you tour the wonders
of southern Utah and northern Arizona you'll find
plenty to make your jaw drop. By comparison, the
Coral Pink Sand Dunes may seem tame. Situated about
12 miles south of Mount Carmel Junction, they can
be reached from highway US-89 by either of two quite
good, though narrow, roads and are worth a short
diversion if you have time. |
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The name is accurate ... the sand
here really is coral pink in colour and glows appealingly
in the evening sun. The sand is very fine, sifted
twice by the local winds that have blown the material
from red rock formations many miles away. A freak
of the local topography made it land and settle
here to form a classic desert scene, but quite unlike
the other deserts in this area. |
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The dunes are blown into perfect
wave shapes, just like the 'ideal' picture of a
Saharan landscape. And they move and re-form continuously,
tidying up the tracks left where people and animals
venture over them. This is a popular area for dune-buggy
riding, so the surface does get disturbed. You can
also see tracks of all kinds of animals that passed
by since the wind last swept the surface clean. |
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The area is not vast,
but can occupy your interest for a few hours, or
just a few minutes, depending on your taste and
how much time you have. It is classed as a State
Park and a $4 charge is made for using the official
car park (though you may be able to park briefly
along the road an off-peak times). A board walk
from the car park enables you to go close to the
scene without getting sand in your shoes. |
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©Derrick
Phillips
2004
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