Little Sahara
Utah's biggest dune weekends. Roughly 60,000 acres of dunes, four BLM campgrounds and the 700-foot Sand Mountain climb, a couple of hours south of Salt Lake City.
- Managed by
- BLM Fillmore Field Office
UTAH'S RIDING DUNES
Find your
Utah sand.
From the 700-foot climb at Little Sahara to pink sand above Kanab, every Utah dune field runs on its own agency, fees and camping rules. Start with the one that fits your trip.
Choose your dunes
Sand Hollow
Red dunes beside a warm reservoir. The Sand Mountain OHV area and its red dunes and slickrock, staged from Utah's most visited state park near Hurricane.
- Managed by
- Utah State Parks and BLM St. George Field Office
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Pink sand at 6,000 feet. A state park dune field west of Kanab where about 90 percent of the dunes are open to riding and a beetle found nowhere else keeps its own fenced ground.
- Managed by
- Utah State Parks and BLM Kanab Field Office
Knolls
Salt Lake City's closest dunes. Nearly 36,000 acres of sand dunes, hills and mud flats off I-80, bordering an active bombing range that riders must never enter.
- Managed by
- BLM Salt Lake Field Office
White Wash Sand Dunes
Cottonwoods growing out of the sand. A fenced open dune area of about 1,400 acres south of Green River, ringed by designated desert routes.
- Managed by
- BLM Moab Field Office
How they compare
| Destination | Managed by | Ground | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Sahara | BLM Fillmore Field Office | Dunes, trails and sagebrush flats | $18 per vehicle per night, camping included |
| Sand Hollow | Utah State Parks; BLM next door | Red dunes and slickrock | State park $25 for Utah residents, $35 for non-residents; BLM Waddy's Corral trailhead lists no fee |
| Coral Pink Sand Dunes | Utah State Parks and BLM | Open dunes, about 90 percent rideable | $15 per vehicle |
| Knolls | BLM Salt Lake Field Office | Dunes, hills and mud flats | $10 day use |
| White Wash Sand Dunes | BLM Moab Field Office | Fenced open dunes and designated routes | BLM's pages list no fee |
Fees are per vehicle unless noted. Each destination guide carries the full fee table, its sources and the date it was checked.
Sources: BLM: Little Sahara Recreation Area, Utah State Parks: Sand Hollow fees, BLM: Sand Mountain Open OHV Area, Utah State Parks: Coral Pink fees, BLM: Knolls, BLM: White Wash open OHV area. Checked September 10, 2026.
Utah rules that ride along everywhere
- A red or orange whip flag on OHVs in sand dune areas
- Helmets for every rider under 18 on public land
- Utah's free online education course for operators 18 and older, and an approved certificate for younger riders
- A $35 non-resident permit for machines from out of state
Read the full Utah OHV rules, then check the destination page for the agency's own additions.
Sources: Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation: OHV laws, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation: OHV education FAQs, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation: non-resident permits. Checked September 10, 2026.
Part of Dune Guide USA
Utah Dunes Guide is a Dune Guide USA publication. When you are weighing dunes in other states, Dune Guide USA compares destinations across the country and sends you to the local guide for each one.
Common questions
Where can you ride sand dunes in Utah?
Utah's main riding dunes include Little Sahara Recreation Area, the Sand Mountain OHV area at Sand Hollow, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, the Knolls OHV area off I-80 and White Wash Sand Dunes near Green River.
Do non-residents need a permit to ride an OHV in Utah?
Yes. Non-residents bringing an ATV, UTV, off-highway motorcycle or snowmobile into Utah need a $35 non-resident OHV permit, valid for 12 months and bought online.
FREE DUNE GUIDE USA ARCADE
A little sand.
A lot of adventure.
Explore the network’s available virtual dune adventures. Pick a ride and practice finding camp before the real weekend begins.
Enter the free Arcade →Virtual adventures do not replace current maps or riding rules.
CAMP COMPASS · FREE SAFETY TOOL
Mark camp.
Find your way back.
Save your actual camp before riding. Camp Compass uses your phone’s GPS to show the distance and direction back, even without cell service.
Install it while connected. Stop somewhere safe before using the phone; a bearing does not identify a safe or legal route.
Open Camp Compass → See how it works →