Great Sand Dunes National Park
Location: Alamosa, Colorado
Established: 2004
Size: 149,028 acres
When to visit: Year-round
The Great Sand Dunes can be spotted in the distance as you approach, but at first seem dwarfed by their back drop, the 13,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Not until you’re nearly at the border does their vast scale become apparent. Dunes up to 750 feet tall, extending mile after mile across the landscape. The dunes are the tallest in North America and covering nearly 30 square miles.
Winds that can often top 40 mph are continue to reshape the crest of the tall dunes, and smaller dunes can “migrate” several feet in a week! The High Dune, is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the park. Don’t be fooled though, it is not actually the highest, that award goes to the Star Dune (which can be reached on a 5 hour round-trip hike through the dune field).
I arrived at Great Sand Dunes, around 5:30 PM and the wind was gusting full force and prevented me from exploring too far into the dunes. Therefore it is suggested to explore the dunes in the morning before the wind picks up. Regardless of when you visit, be sure to take the necessary precautions with any camera equipment you bring along. One sandy gust is all it will take to ruin a camera that isn’t sealed/protected properly.
Visitor Center after hours.
If you arrive during the day be sure to walk through the visitor center before heading to the dunes. They have a short video that offers a good introduction to the geology and history of the park. For those who have more than a day to explore be sure to check out the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, which encompasses the surrounding mountains and alpine environments.
The parking lot is a short walk from the dune fields but you will have to cross Medano Creek. The depth varies depending on the snow melt but never becomes inaccessible. Mid-August the creek was ankle deep and did a wonderful job of washing off the sand on the walk back to the car.
The plus side to visiting a National Park after hours or in less than ideal weather…is that you’ll likely have the place to yourself. From my experience by 6:30 PM most visitors have already left. A late arrival will still leave you with a few hours of daylight to explore and will also give you the opportunity to catch an awesome sunset.
Medano Creek Crossing
Into the dune field!
Once you have crossed the shallow creek, walking will become more difficult as you begin trudging up the slopes of the dunes. You will likely see people, appearing like tiny black specs slowly moving across the dunes above you. This is when the size of the dunes really set in and proved to be quite humbling.
The wind was howling at my back, bringing with it waves of sand. I tried to avoid exposing my camera to the elements any more than I had to so I was unable to get as many pictures as I would have liked.
Walk barefoot, ditch the sandals. Also, can you spot the person?
From where I took the picture above the sun was already setting above the towering hills of sand. Although the actual sunset on the horizon didn’t take place till almost 2 hours later! The wind at the time was gusting at my back at 35 mph and looked to be blowing even harder, higher up on the dunes. It was very clear how Mother Nature had created such a foreign landscape.
Park Activities
As with all the National Parks, there are a wide variety of hiking and backpacking opportunities. Horseback riding and Medano Creek are also popular summertime activities. The park is well known for Sand-Boarding, you will likely see people of all ages zipping down the dunes on modified surf boards and sleds. Both of which can be rented just outside the park.
Dark Skys and Photo opportunities are also a major attraction for visitors due to the strange landscape and lack of light pollution. Fisherman and those with 4×4 vehicles will enjoy exploring the Preserve Area adjoining the park.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is also a great place to have a one-of-a-kind camping experience. You can obtain a free back country camping permit and settle in for the night anywhere you would like as long as you venture at least 1.5 miles into the dune field. Be warned, it can be very easy to get lost or become disoriented so bring a compass/map. There are 7 camping areas available if you do not want complete sandy solitude.
Save the best for last!
I realized after exploring the dunes I needed to find a different vantage point for sunset so I ran back to the car. Arriving with a huge smile on my face but completely out of breath and covered with sand.
I decided the main road into the park would give me the best opportunity to see the sun fade over the expansive dunes. So I pulled over at one of the lookout points and waited for the magic to happen…
Sure enough the magic happened, what a sunset!
Fire in the sky!
All I could think about were the lyrics to “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver. I had seen the “fire in the sky” that he described.
As soon as I was satisfied with the pictures I had taken, I stepped away from my camera to take in the sunset with my own eyes. Moments later I watched in utter disbelief a violent gust of wind blow over my tripod, sending my camera crashing into the rocky soil. The lens didn’t stand a chance and was shattered to oblivion.
I couldn’t get mad though, how could I in the presence of such beauty? I was thankful to have stuck around for the golden hour instead of vacating the park early like everyone else.
Overall
Great Sand Dunes National Park exceeded my expectations and I found it to be a surreal experience. It is very difficult to grasp the enormous scale of the dunes from a distance; I highly encourage you to walk into the fields to get a true perspective on their size. Take plenty of water though, walking through soft sand is more strenuous than some may expect.
The park is definitely on my list of places to revisit, although next time I will make it a point to obtain a backcountry camping permit so I can pitch a tent under the stars. Which in my opinion would be a truly, unique and out of this world experience!
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