Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado feels like a place from a science fiction movie. The dunes rise almost 700 feet from the desert floor and seem out of place in Colorado. As you approach them, you can hardly believe your eyes as the bare dunes appear, rising up in stark contrast to the surrounding area. Bring your light saber and cape and get your Jedi shots!
About Great Sand Dunes National Park
The park encompasses around 230 square miles, with the dunes covering about 30 square miles. The total elevation change within the park is more than 6,000 feet.
The park is situated in a basin west of the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountain ranges. The wind and the sand sediment that comes down from the mountains by the Medano and Sand Creeks constantly cause the dunes to grow larger and taller.
Although designated a national monument in March 1932, Great Sand Dunes did not become a national park until 2000.
Getting to Great Sand Dunes National Park
It’s not super easy to get to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The park is located equi-distant, or about 235 miles, from both Denver, CO to the northeast and Albuquerque, NM to the southwest.
Climate
We visited in October and temperatures were pleasant, with days in the low 60s and nights around freezing. Check out this National Park Service page for climate information by month.
How We Visited Great Sand Dunes National Park
We visited Great Sand Dunes National Park as part of a loop itinerary (overview here) to Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, Arches, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Great Sand Dunes National Parks, as well as the city of Santa Fe, NM. Completing this loop, starting and ending in Albuquerque, NM (where we rented a small RV) required about 18 hours of driving, but it was a 1.5 week trip. For us, this was ambitious, but not too bad. Some of these parks, including Great Sand Dunes, do not require a long visit.
Renting your Sand Sledding and Boarding Equipment
Stop on your way into Great Sand Dunes National Park to rent equipment for sledding and sandboarding. The Great Sand Dunes Oasis store, which is located 4 miles from the Visitor Center and near the park entrance, rents sleds and boards for reasonable prices. It’s to your advantage to stop here first so you don’t have to backtrack from the park. Trust me, you will want to try sledding and boarding down the dunes!
Grocery and Camping Supplies
At the Great Sand Dunes Oasis, there is also a small grocery and camping supply store, a gas station, restaurant, and ice cream shop. It’s possible to camp here, but we camped in the national park. We recommend camping in national parks whenever possible as you wake up in your destination. It’s to your advantage to stop here first so you don’t have to backtrack. Trust me, you will want to try sledding and boarding down the dunes!
Activities at Great Sand Dunes National Park
Other than hiking (which on the dunes is a serious but exhilarating workout), playing, sledding, and sandboarding on the dunes, and taking lots of photos, there is not a lot else to do at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
However, if you are here in late May to early June, you may catch Medano Creek at its height, when the prospect of floating in the creek brings many visitors.
Otherwise, a visit of a few hours is sufficient, but spending a night allows you to see the dark night sky and enjoy the sunrise and sunset.
Be aware that you will get tons of sand in your hair, clothes and shoes while getting up close and personal with the dunes. At a minimum, pack an extra pair of shoes and socks to change into before leaving!
Hiking the Dunes
It’s hard to capture the scale of the dunes in writing or even in pictures. You really need to climb them.
The best way to hike – or climb – on the dunes is to just pick one that looks good to you and get started. Head out across the flat sand to reach the dunes. As you climb, the way to the top of a dune seems higher and further than it appeared from the ground below! And once at the top of one dune, another beckons.
Don’t worry about displacing sand on the dunes as the wind is constantly shifting the formations. Walking in the pristine sand is a great experience, although sometimes arduous. In sheltered areas between the dunes, there are a few paths, or high traffic areas, that make the way a little easier.
With my fear of heights, I got adrenaline rushes at the tops of the high dunes we climbed. The landscapes and vistas are sweeping and fantastic from up there! In places, the drop off from the peak of a dune seems sheer, but there’s no real danger, since the dune will just fall with you if you topple over.
Sand Sledding / Boarding
Take your rented sand sled and / or board out for a ride. The rental shop will provide you with a supply of wax, and a good coat of wax on your sled / board will lessen the friction between it and the sand. We got some good runs on our sleds, and our son got a few on his sand board. Fun!
Medano Creek
Medano Creek lies at the base of the dunes and flows through the park. When we visited in October, the creek was dry. Medano Creek ranges from a “surge” in late spring (see information from the NPS below) to a dry creek bed at different times of the year.
In the late spring, Medano Creek becomes a center of activity, when, according to the National Park Service: “Late May and early June are the best opportunity to experience “surge flow”, where waves up to about 20 inches (50 cm) high flow down across the sand. In wet years with good peak runoff, children can float down the waves on flat inflatable toys. Water comes out of the mountains cold, but warms up significantly when the sun shines on it as it spreads across the sand. Because of the creek’s popularity, late May and early June weekends are extremely crowded, with long lines of traffic, overflowing parking lots, a crowded beach, and full campgrounds. If possible, plan your visit on a weekday this time of year.“
Camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park
The Piñon Flats Campground lies at the end of the park road and right across from the dunes. Most of the 88 campsites are exposed as the area is covered in scrub brush and there are few trees. But the views of the dunes make up for that exposure! Sites accommodate tents and RVs up to 25 feet (there are no hookups).
Campsites, which cost $20/night, must be reserved through recreation.gov and can be made up to six months in advance. Eight people are allowed on a single site. As with most national parks in the US, there are bath houses with toilets and sinks, but no showers.
Nerdy (Educational) Information on Dune Types
To learn more about the types of dunes, as wind and vegetation influence their formation and shape, check out this page on the National Park Service website. Who knew?