Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park is home to the Star Dune, which towers more than 750′ above the valley floor and is the tallest such feature in North America. That’s cool… But there’s a lot more here than North America’s deepest sandbox…
Guide to Great Sand Dunes
Great Sand Dunes National Park
The massive dunes are backed to the east by the Sangre de Cristo mountains, with six peaks above 13,000 feet. These mountains are home to steep desert slopes of juniper and pinyon pine leading to coniferous forests that harbor clear alpine lakes and groves of glowing aspen trees, with high-mountain tundra existing above tree line.
Meanwhile, far below lie the massive sand dunes, flanked to the north and west by beautiful wildlife sustaining wetlands and grasslands and to the east by the flowing waters of Medano Creek, descending from the mountains high above.
Those who thirst for mountain adventure can take to the park’s mountainous trails and if ambitious, climb toward the heights of the Cristos, ascending to peaks that overlook the great San Luis Valley to the west with its sweeping dune fields. Hiking trails run to the ridge of these mountains and access beautiful remote lakes such as Upper and Lower Sand Lakes, as well as the slightly more accessible Medano Lake.
Visitors with a high-clearance 4×4 may have interest in the Medano Pass Primitive Road which begins just past the visitor center and runs the width of the park, crossing its namesake pass at 10,000 feet. After crossing the pass, the road continues down the east side of the Cristos where it connects with Colorado Highway 69. This is a rugged passage and drivers should contact rangers to inquire about sand conditions.
This road is becoming popular for fat-tire biking, as these bikes are more suitable for riding in soft, shifting sand than traditional mountain bikes. Such bikes are restricted to the roadway and should be aware of vehicle travel, which may involve 4x4s traveling at great speeds in order to cross some softer sections of sand.
Perhaps the most intriguing activity at Great Sand Dunes, is hiking, sledding and sandboarding on the park’s massive sand dunes. There are no real trails on the dunes, as footsteps in the sand are usually quickly covered by wind. Here visitors can climb to the heights of High Dune (650′) or the more removed Star Dune (750′) and enjoy views of the surrounding valley and often snowcapped mountains.
From here, many choose to run, jump, roll or sled the steep dunes, while some opt for the more complex method of sandboarding the slopes of the giant dunes. It usually helps to attempt boarding the sand following a rain, as the moisture slightly hardens the sand, making it more suitable for ripping the pow…
The park contains over 150,000 acres in which to romp about and the dunes are suitable for year-round visitation, although the mountains remain inaccessible during the winter months to all but the most dedicated winter mountain enthusiast.
See ya there…
Guide to Great Sand Dunes
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