Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Morning Blue Hour

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Morning Calm at Coral Pink Sand Dunes

The Star Dune on a Quiet Morning

After three days of tearing up the backcountry around Kanab, Utah—hitting White Pocket, exploring the Sand Caves, and walking through the Belly of the Dragon—my adventure club buddies had to pack it in early due to some pesky Jeep trouble. Suddenly, it was just me, my camera gear, and the quiet desert air. I decided to pull into Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. They have a fantastic little campground where you can plug in, juice up your gear, and set up camp with zero hassle. Best of all, it is just a short 50-yard jaunt up and over a sand ridge to get a front-row view of the park's crown jewel: a massive star dune.

If you have never seen a star dune up close, they are geological marvels. Unlike standard crescent-shaped dunes formed by wind blowing steadily from one direction, star dunes grow in areas where winds shift from multiple directions throughout the year. These opposing winds push sand inward, piling it high and creating distinct, radiating arms or ridges that look remarkably like a star from above. They are the tallest and most complex dunes in any desert system, and standing at the base of one makes you feel wonderfully small.

I made sure to scout this spot during the day, but I knew I wanted to capture it during the morning blue hour, just before sunrise. Shooting these pink-hued quartz grains under direct midday sun can create a harsh, unforgiving glare that completely washes out the subtle textures and delicate shadows. By waking up early and setting up during the pre-dawn blue hour, the cool ambient light harmonized with the warm coral tones of the sand and the distant Navajo sandstone cliffs. A few soft, pastel clouds drifted overhead, picking up the very first whispers of sunrise light and when the pink sand really takes on it’s remarkable hue.

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