Petrified Dunes Trail

Petrified Dunes Trail explores one of Snow Canyon State Park's most visually arresting geological features — ancient sand dunes that solidified into Navajo Sandstone roughly 180 million years ago and now form a sweeping landscape of smooth, undulating pink and white rock. The 1.5-mile loop traverses this fossilized dunefield, following cairns across the bare slickrock surface where the original dune cross-bedding patterns are still clearly visible in the rock, recording the direction of Jurassic winds in permanent stone.

The Navajo Sandstone here displays the full spectrum of colors it is famous for — white, cream, pink, orange, and red — stained by iron minerals in patterns that shift dramatically depending on light angle and moisture. Early morning and late afternoon visits reveal the subtlest color variations. The trail gains only 200 feet but requires careful footing on the slickrock surface, especially when wet. Snow Canyon's red Entrada Sandstone canyon walls form a dramatic backdrop to the petrified dunes, with occasional views of Pine Valley Mountain to the north. Leashed dogs are permitted on this trail. The park charges $15 per vehicle and is open year-round, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 100°F, making early-morning starts essential from May through September.