Road Trip | Great Sand Dunes Park + Preserve
A Sea of Sand in the Mountains
North America’s Largest Sandbox
The National Parks are an American invention and include some of the most beautiful places in the western world. Yellowstone was the first park established in 1872 and since the National Parks Service has expanded to 63 National Parks, most recently New River Gorge in West Virginia.
Visiting these majestic spaces is like going to another world. A powerful experience in places so wild, you can get pulled outside of yourself into the environment around you. In these preserved places you breathe a little deeper, think a little deeper, and live deep in the moment. It helps give you a look at history, a chance to see where we came from, and to understand what this country is.
On the eastern side of the San Luis Valley along the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, sits the largest sand dunes in North America. Tucked into the southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado is the Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve. Originally designated a National Landmark in 1932, the dunes were re-established as a National Park in 2004.
This wondrous site was created over hundreds of thousands of years through opposing wind forces, a valley full of sand from a drained glacial lake, and being in the perfect location to hold this natural pocket of recycled sand.
Much of the San Luis Valley floor had once been covered by a large inland lake, now called Lake Alamosa by geologists. Built up over time, extreme water pressure forced this lake from its home, draining it through the nearby Rio Grande River and likely forming what is now the massive Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico.
What was left behind was sandy sediment from the volcanic San Juan Mountains as well as the sand that was coming down from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains through creeks and wind. Anyone who visits this area knows the power of wind in this valley. Once the valley floor was nearly dry and left spotted with smaller lakes and wetlands, powerful predominant western winds consistently push the sand east towards the mountains. During storms, winds from the east blow the sand back towards the valley from the mountain passes in the Sangre de Cristo Range, causing the sands to grow vertically into dunes instead of dispersing the sand around the valley. The sand carried by two mountain streams, Médano Creek and Sand Creek, also help the winds in carrying out this sand recycling process.
Considering the park is a little off the main road and that there are 30 square miles of sand to climb, you can safely explore the seemingly endless dunes without many others around. For even more solitude begin your hike from the Point of No Return Parking lot just past the main lot. A small trail connects you to the dune field. A hike to Star Dune, the tallest in the park, is a 2-3 hour hike but many choose to simply play around on the lower dunes. Dogs are permitting on a leash but know that the sand is not the friendliest to doggos; watch their eyes (ever try Doggles?) and bring extra water for a little paw wash mid-hike if needed; our savior is the Dexas Mudbuster. Sandboarding has been gaining in popularity and tends to be a little easier than snow or water since the sand is quite slow. Just outside the park at The Oasis you can rent boards for the day or keep it simple with a sled.
If visiting in late spring, you may get to experience mountain waves and have a natural lazy river experience at the base of the dunes. Médano Creek is a seasonal stream of glacial water carried down from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Medano is a Spanish world that means “sand dunes” and its peak flow occurs in late May and early June. Here you can play at Colorado’s natural beach with swimming, tubing or skimboarding during the wave surges that happen due to shifting sands and water flow.
Hike the sand dunes however you’d like as there are no official trails. Nearly a dozen trails off the dunes are located within the park with varying degrees of difficulty. The park begins at 7,500 feet so you are already starting with a higher elevation, something to take in consideration when deciding your adventures. The parks highest point is Tijeras Peak, sitting at 13,604 feet above sea level. Choose your own altitude adventure.
Leashed dogs are permitted on all trails but not within the backcountry of the park and preserve. That being said, there are still plenty of places to explore with your adventure dogs. Note: You are allowed to gather goodies from your hikes in limited quantities; look for piñon nuts, mushrooms, gooseberries, currants, and raspberries to add a little fun to your campfire meal.
There are several options for camping at the park but book in advance if you can as space is limited especially late May- early June for the peak flow Médano Creek . Piñon Flats is a 86 site seasonal campground operating from April 1-November 1. Those who camp with a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle will be able to explore Médano Pass, a 22 mile primitive road traveling around the dunes and into the mountains. There is no charge for these 21 roadside campsites but be advised they are first-come first-serve. Backpackers will find 7 sites in the backcountry off the Sand Ramp Trail varying from an easy hike doable with little children up to a very difficult hike with route-finding skills required.
The most unique camping experience by far is an overnight on top of a sand dune. Hike with your gear up into the dunes backcountry to literally sleep with the stars. 20 permits are given per night and the only stipulation is that you must not be able to see the Visitor’s Center from where you camp. Get camp setup before sunset and watch as the sky turns into a Billion Star Motel, so close you could almost touch the stars.
The Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2019 and for good reason. With little light pollution and the high altitude, conditions are ideal for stargazing almost year round. Visit on a moonless night for views of the Milky Way and more stars and planets than you’ve even seen, or visit on a full moon and hike the dunes without needing flashlights for an entirely different hiking experience.
This land, that goes from a high desert valley floor to 750-foot dunes to 14,000 foot mountains is a special place that every explorer should have on their map. It is a place to climb, hike, relax and recharge. It is a very meditative place with sights so extraordinary it seems like you are looking at a painting in real life; a painting of a sea of sand.
