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A Sandy Desert High in the Rocky Mountains

Published by Jason Hussong, Writer

Country: United States

The Experience

The Rocky Mountains are popular for their great ski resorts, but hidden in the Sangre de Cristo range in the southern part of Colorado is a unique experience where you’re more likely to find someone sledding down a sand dune than skiing. Camping, hiking and other such pastimes are also popular in the relatively unknown Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, a gem that struggles to receive 300,000 visitors a year. The Great Sand Dune's distance from the major Front Range towns like Denver and Colorado Springs helps keep it this way, making a visit an excellent experience that can be enjoyed without the hordes that are common at many of the more popular national parks.

Located northeast of Alamosa, once a mining supply town that has roots in agriculture, the Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an 84,670 acre (342.6 km²) park that is home to beautiful forests, lakes and grasslands, with an abundance of interesting animal and plant life. Six peaks in the Park boundaries also top the 13,000 foot (3,940 metre) mark, and make for some stunning vistas, particularly as the snow falls in the winter months around the sand dunes. This is an experience in itself, as snow isn’t exactly common in a sandy desert. But these amazing views, on top of all the great activities to enjoy, is what the visitors that venture to this remote area of Colorado come to see.

Designated a National Monument in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover, the Great Sand Dunes were promoted to a National Park and Preserve in 2004. They are believed to be as old as 12,000 years, and created by sand deposits from rivers flowing through the San Luis Valley. These deposits are still picked up today by the wind and piled high on the east side of the Valley, near the irregularly flowing Medano Creek.

Occasionally blocking the way from the visitors centre, the Medano Creek can make hiking to the Great Sand Dunes a wet experience at times. The disparity between this little creek and the massive sand dunes makes for an amusing visual gap as the 750 foot (230 metre) tall dunes tower over a creek that, at its best, is only a few inches deep. But this also makes for some great sand castle building experiences, a favourite pastime in the Sand Dunes National Park for many people.

High in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies in Colorado, the Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a beautiful desert and mountain experience. It's a unique place that has much to offer and many great places to explore. It's generally overshadowed by Mesa Verde and Rocky Mountain National Park, two other national parks in Colorado, but one that should not be overlooked nor missed.

Photos

Map

Puzzle

When to Go

The Sand Dunes National Park is open year-round and offers tremendous opportunities for great experiences no matter what time you visit. Be warned that the surface temperature on the dunes can reach 140°F (60°C), and the winter months can be bitterly cold. The best time to experience the Great Sand Dunes is during the more moderate months in the spring and fall. The weather will be much more comfortable at these times, and likely offer a more pleasant experience on the whole.

Odds n' Ends

Altitude sickness is always a problem in the mountains. Symptoms could include shortness of breath, headaches and nausea. If you experience any of these problems while at the Sand Dunes National Park, make sure to see a ranger for assistance. A good way to avoid these issues is to drink plenty of water while in the Park; so be sure to bring a good supply with you from the visitors centre.

Also be mindful of weather changes and lightning. They can both happen frequently and with little or no warning in the mountains. You will be completely exposed out on the sand dunes, so find out beforehand how to handle such changes, such as sudden lightning strikes.

And as enjoyable as wildlife encounters can be, it's important to know how to handle such experiences. Make sure to see a ranger before your hike for specific advice on these occurrences. Never approach an animal closer than the recommended distance. Remember that they are wild and can be dangerous.

More Experiences Nearby

Pikes Peak or Bust: The Most Visited Mountain in North America
Depending on whom you ask, there are 54 “fourteeners” (mountains over 14,000 ft. above sea level) in the state of Colorado. This constitutes the densest collection in North America. These mountains have become an obsession for peak baggers the world over, making the centennial state a premier destination for those looking to lace up their hiking boots and set out for a stroll toward the sky. Rising a mere 14,115 ft., Pikes Peak is ranked 31st and has risen above its peers to become the most visited mountain in North America; and the second in the world behind Japan’s Mt. ...81 miles away.

Video

Books and DVDs

The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Frommer's Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Monument: The Shape of the Wind

Elsewhere on the Web

Great Sand Dunes - NPS.gov

Media References

Colorado's Sand Dunes - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
Colorado Travel Guide - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
Adventurer | Sandboarding - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
Great Sand Dunes National Park - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)

Language Guides

French , Hindi , Indonesian , Italian , Japanese , Lao , Malay , Mandarin , Portugese , Russian , Spanish , Thai , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in United States. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

Discussion

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