After finding out late Friday that my truck repairs wouldn’t be finished before the weekend we decided to take another little drive this time north from Kanab and we made a side trip to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. I’d been there a few years ago during the rain but Mike hadn’t been there before.
Pioneers called it The Sand Hills and the Paiute called it Na-tur-rip or Sandy Land. In a previous post I described how the dunes were formed.
I marvel at the cycling of geologic occurrences. This sand comes from erosion of the Navajo sandstone cliffs blown in from the south that were once dunes themselves. And someday, these dunes may lithifi into rock and be exposed by erosion into cliffs that repeat the process again. Or just blow away.
As we walked across the dunes certain rocks caught our attention, particularly the hundreds of moqui marbles ranging from the size of a pea to almost golf balls, some whole and others broken.
The iron oxide concretions found in the Navajo Sandstone consist of sandstone cemented together by hematite and geothite.
Also discovered just a few pieces of agate that may have been flakes from Indians of the past making arrowheads.
Although we saw no wildlife the evidence of their passing was left behind. And maybe some of them saw us.
Due to its 6000 foot elevation the dunes area receives relatively high precipitation and as a result, has surprisingly abundant plant life like Dune sunflower and grasses.
The Visitor Center displays included this friendly little gopher snake.
And many samples of sands from around the world.
To tour more of the world go to Our World Tuesday by clicking here.
I have been back and forth on that highway so many times I could not count them. My car knows the way by itself. Yet I have never taken that turn into the coral sand dunes. Frustrates me when I think how much we miss driving somewhere and not seeing all there is to see. Time seems to win out.
Such a marvelous, informative and interesting post and your photos are superb as always! Hope your week is off to a great start! Enjoy!
Sylvia
I do so love your informative posts. Great sand dunes and the little animals were in all probability nocturnal. I have witnessed similar tracks in our sandy deserts.
Great post Gaelyn as always.
Keep posting about the Kanab area! We are planning on our rim-to-rim hike in May, and then to dwaddle in the Kanab/Zion areas for a few more days. You are giving me so many great ideas!!
Have never been to that area..Must put that on our list. Love the rocks found.
Look at all those different sands – how intriguing! I like the little paw prints going into the grasses.
Another natural marvel. Looks like the beach although its desert. The stones are very interesting. Would love to collect a few, but I imagine one isn't allowed to.
That's interesting, very cool. Geology is fascinating. We met with a customer's geologists last week and it was fascinating how they talked about different formations and how they rise and descend thousands of feet of millions of years.
Pretty amazing color of sand. Is it unique to that area? You find the coolest rocks.