Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Located on the east side of Colorado’s San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to the country’s tallest sand dunes. Covering approximately 39 square miles and rising as high as 750 feet above the floor of the valley, the dunes of this picturesque national park are created by the erosion of the surrounding Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains, caused by wind and rain. Because the wind blows in opposite directions, the sand falls to the valley floor and is held there by water flowing from the mountains, thus creating the dunes.

The dunes, of course, are the main attraction in this park. Guests can walk the dunes or climb the highest dunes, including the appropriately-named High Dune, 650 feet tall, or the 750-foot Star Dune.

Great Sand Dunes National Park also boasts a number of nature trails. Some give insight into the natural and human history of the area, some take you past fields of colorful wildflowers, and others direct you to beautiful bodies of water, such as Medano Creek and Zapata Falls. Trails vary in length and difficulty and trail information is available at the Visitor Center, where guests can also watch a 20-minute video about the park.

Even if it’s summer, you can bring your sled to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Visitors are welcome to sled or “sandboard” on unvegetated areas of the dunes. Smooth plastic sleds or old skis and snowboards work best.

During the summer months, the National Park Service offers fascinating Bison Tours and Hayrides, where guests can explore Nature Conservancy-owned lands within the national park boundaries and catch a glimpse of some of the more than 1,000 bison that roam the grasslands and wetlands west of the Great Sand Dunes. Summer also brings a sand sculpting contest and concert series. Both events are located inside the park.

Nearby, guests can also visit both the Rio Grande and San Isabel National Forests as well as the San Luis Lake State Park and Wilderness Area. At the lake, visitors can enjoy a variety of watersports including fishing and boating. A number of National Wildlife Refuges are also located in the wetlands near Great Sand Dunes.

There are plenty of hotels, motels, and inns located in the towns outside the park, but within the confines of the park, visitors can stay at the Pinyon Flats Campground, run by the National Park Service, with spaces available on a first come, first served basis. Pinyon Flats, with 88 sites, is located about 1 mile north of the Visitor Center. Restrooms and drinking water are available and the campground is open year round. RVs up to 32 feet can be accommodated at some sites.

Great Sand Dunes National Park is located 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, Colorado, reached via U.S. 160 and Colorado 150 from the south, or from Colorado 17 and County Lane 6 from the west.

Summer is the optimal time to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park. The temperatures average in the 70s and 80s but the sand temps can be substantially warmer so shoes must be worn at all times when exploring the dunes. A warm coat or blanket is necessary in the evening. Fall temperatures are pleasant as well, with daytime temps averaging in the 60s and 70s. Nights, however, can be quite cold. Temperatures also change according to elevation.

Contact:
Great Sand Dunes National Park
11999 Highway 150
Mosca, CO 81146
(719)-378-6300