Please respect outdoor Rock Art museums in the same way that you would an indoor museum. Also see the nearby South Fork Indian Canyon Pictographs.
Photo Album:Hell Dive Canyon pictures Map:Hell Dive Canyon MapSand Dunes Map Day hike: Yes Distance: 6.6 miles round trip Average hiking time: 5 hours Equipment: Energy food and 3 quarts of water for each person.
Map - USGS 7.5' Topo Yellow Jacket Canyon' Quad Difficulty: Easy Permits: No Trail conditions: Sandy path Trailhead: 4WD Road West of Water Canyon Trailend: Same as starting Trail Access: 4WD, sandy road Elevation Change: 580' Pictographs Elevation: 6020' Off the Beaten Path: Yes Best season: Year-round Water availability: No Restrooms: Located at the Sand Dunes State Park
Visitor Center and Campground.
South Fork Indian Canyon Pictographs - The Hell Dive Canyon Pictographs are located within the Moquith Mountain Wilderness Study Area. Unique pictographs of a baby foot and depictions of a family are protected beneath an overhanging alcove. Without a 4WD vehicle, the hike would be an arduous 7 miles one way hike from the intersection of Hancock Road and Sand Spring 4WD Road. Not that it is impossible, but it would be quite the slog on sandy roads. If it is undertaken as a full day hike without the support of 4WD, then early spring or late fall would be the best time of year to hike.
Hancock Road - From Mount Carmel Junction, drive south on Highway 89. Take the Sand Dune Road (Yellow Jacket Road) toward the Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park. Travel 8.3 miles from Highway 89 and look for the "T" in the road. Turn left at the "T" onto Hancock Road. Drive 3.5 miles, passing the Ponderosa Campground, to the intersection of Hancock Road and the 4WD Sand Spring Road on the right. If your vehicle wont make it on the soft sandy roads, walk from the "T" in Hancock Road and Sand Dune Spring Road.
If traveling from Kanab, take Hancock Road to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and travel almost 6 miles from Highway 89 to the intersection of Hancock Road and the 4WD Sand Spring Road, on the left. If traveling from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Visitor Center and Campground, travel North East 3.3 miles to the intersection of Sand Dune Road and Hancock Road, turn right on Hancock Road and travel 3.5 miles, passing the Ponderosa Campground, to the intersection of Hancock Road and the 4WD Sand Spring Road on the right.
Sand Spring Road - Travel via 4WD, southwest on Sand Spring Road, passing Sand Spring, after 1 mile. Continue southwest for another 1.5 miles and look for the left hand turn to South Fork Indian Canyon. Stay right and continue past this intersection for another .75 miles. It will be necessary to take the left fork, after coming to the "Y" intersection. Travel another .75 miles. Soon the road gets rugged. It's not recommended driving beyond this point.
Hell Dive Canyon Pictographs
Begin hiking down the road. Soon the path will lead into the bottom of Water Canyon. The path continues south as it ascends a ridge for the next .65 miles and comes to another intersection. Turn left at the intersection and follow it south. The trail will veer east-north-east for the next 2 miles. Do not take any right turns off the main road. The trail ends 2 miles beyond the last intersection. The somewhat distinguishable footpath traveling to the east and descending will lead into the massive Hell Dive Canyon Alcove. There are no barriers to prevent a person from walking right up to the ancient paintings. It is of the utmost importance that the area is not disturbed. Do not touch the delicate art, as the oil from our skin destroys the paintings. Do not camp or build fires in the alcove as the smoke will render irreparable damage.
Directions to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Plan your Coral Pink Sand Dunes Vacation with our
Utah Maps and Information
Coral Pink Sand Dunes from Zion National Park
From Zion National Park. Exit Zion Park through the east entrance and drive 12 miles to the junction U-9 & US-89. This is Mount Carmel Junction. Turn south on US-89. Turn-off to the sand dunes 3 miles from Mt. Carmel Junction. Follow Yellow Jacket road for 8 miles to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Lodging for Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Coral Pink Sand Dunes from
Utah Highway 59 & Arizona 389
From Hurricane, Utah take Utah 59 to Arizona 389 just past Colorado City look for the road leading to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. It will come out 3 miles from Mt. Carmel Junction, Utah. Do not travel through the dunes when it's been raining or the roads are wet from snow.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes through Fredonia, Arizona
From Hurricane, Utah take Utah 59 to Arizona 389 and travel to Fredonia, Arizona, then to Kanab, Utah. Drive on US Highway toward Mt. Carmel Junction, turning at the signed entranced to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
Hell Dive Pictograph
Lodging and services are available on the gorgeous east side of Zion National Park, where guests are close to Zion National Park (12 miles), Bryce Canyon National Park (60 miles), Cedar Breaks National Monument (45 miles), Coral Pink Sand Dunes (12 miles), and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (85 miles). It's where city traffic is absent and the skies are bright and clean.
GPS Coordinates WGS84 Datum
Intersection of Hancock Road
and Sand Spring Road
37°05.8441 N
112°38.7257 W
Intersection of Sand Spring Road and South Fork Indian Canyon Pictograph Road (Stay Right)
37°03.4926 N
112°40.6890 W
"Y" Intersection of Hell Dive Canyon Road (Turn Left)
37°02.9232 N
112°40.9387 W
Park Vehicle
37°02.5137 N
112°40.4136 W
Intersection at top of ridge (Take Left Fork)
37°01.8821 N
112°40.2105 W
Hell Dive Canyon Pictographs
37°02.6198 N
112°38.3961
Parking elevation: 6600'
Mileage from
Mt. Carmel Jct.
Zion National Park 12
Bryce Canyon 60
Grand Canyon 85
Cedar Breaks 45
Grand Staircase 9
Dixie Forest 22
Sand Dunes 11
Coyote Butte 57
Red Canyon 47
Tuweep 90
Stay in the heart of the parks, Mount Carmel Junction, and visit the treasures of the Southwest and Utah.
This is my new favorite quote:
"I don't know who Mary Cisneros is, but I mean zionnational-park.com
It's a better site than the NPS's anyway."
Written by the authors of the book: Favorite Hikes in and around Zion National Park