Little Sahara Recreation Area is located in Juab County, Utah - about 1hr 30min south of Salt Lake City. The roads are paved until you reach the dunes, when they transition to gravel. When you arrive to the Visitors Center, stop in the parking lot to pay the entrance fee ($18 per car). There are envelopes to pay with cash, or there's a link to pay online with card. Don't skip this step as park rangers are frequently monitoring the area and you can get fined without proof of payment! The Red pin is the entrance to the park (i.e. Visitor's Center) and the Green pin is where you're going.
When you're ready to head out to the dunes, keep following the road west out of the parking lot. You'll see a line of large dumpsters on the left side of the road as you approach your turn, turn right and follow the road north. At the end of that road, you'll see the dunes right in front of you. I recommend turning right and parking along the side of the road. You'll be able to cross the road and access the dunes on foot!
THINGS TO NOTE:
Weather conditions will heavily impact your experience at the dunes! I avoid scheduling sessions there during the following conditions:
July-August, the sand gets HOT from the high summer temps and it's very uncomfortable to walk on.
December-March, weather conditions are cold, snow and water on the dunes make it unsafe.
Winds above 12mph. Trust me, you do NOT want to be out there during a wind storm. Keep an eye on the forcast to make sure the wind conditions are safe. Like the Salt Flats, the Sand dunes get windier in the evenings.
Wear shoes when you're walking! There can be sharp sticks and stickers/burrs in the sand that hurt when stepped on. I've also had beetles bite! Once you're at your spot and shooting, feel free to kick off your shoes, but put them right back on when you go to move spots to head back to the car.
Be aware of ATVs, Dirtbikes, and Dune Buggies and courteous to campers. This is a recreational area, after all! Avoid walking through campsites or shooting in blind areas where rec. drivers can't see you. This is a popular location for sessions, so please be kind to other photographer and videographers!
Have a full tank of Gas when you leave. The nearest gas station is 40-minutes away in Eureka or Nephi. Here's a few other things I'd personally bring and tell your clients to bring.
PACKING LIST:
- Sandals (I change out of my driving shoes into these before I walk on the dunes)
- 2 towels (one to put Sandy shoes on in the car and the other to brush sand off)
- You can also bring a grocery/reusable bag to tuck your shoes in so you don't get
sand all over in your car.
- Wet Wipes (to wipe off residual sand)
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- First Aid Kit
- Water & Extra bottles
- Snacks
- Change of comfy clothes for the drive home
We want to continue to use beautiful locations like this! Whatever you pack in, pack out. Please refrain from using props that you're not able to control or easily clean up (like glitter and confetti, gender reveal sessions, I'm looking at you). Other than that, be safe, and have a BLAST!