How to Spend One Day at Great Sand Dunes National Park
Colorado never stops blowing me away with its vast variety of scenery. There’s a reason it’s one of my favorite states and the place we decided to settle down. From mountains to prairies, to waterfalls and alpine lakes, there is always something to explore here. One place that I KNEW I had to visit in Colorado is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Located about 3 1/2 hours south of Denver, I made this a stop along the way to Durango. Here’s how I spent one day in this park and why Great Sand Dunes National Park is worth a visit.
One of the main things Great Sand Dunes is known for is having the tallest dunes in North America. Star Dune and Hidden Dune both climb up to 741 feet while High Dune is the most popular destination as it’s the most direct route up from the parking lot. But what really makes this scenery even more spectacular, are the towering Sangre de Cristo mountains as a backdrop. The park also has a wide variety of ecosystems with trails running through forests, wetlands, and alpine lakes. If you’re staying for longer than just a day trip, I highly recommend camping at Piñon Flats Campground which offers amazing views of the dunes right from your campsite. The Campground is only open from April to October and spots fill up fast so make sure to get a reservation early.
The most popular activity at this park is climbing the dunes. Once you get to the main parking area, you’ll cross Medano Creek and then head on up! There are no designated trails so pick whichever route you choose. Two points of caution: the park’s elevation ranges from 7,520 feet all the way up to 13,604 feet so if you’re not acclimated to the elevation be aware of altitude sickness. Elevation also brings with it afternoon storms so keep an eye on the weather before you arrive, as well as when you’re out on the dunes, it can change quickly in the mountains. The other thing to note here is that while yes, the higher elevation can make for cooler temperatures, the surface of the sand in the height of summer can reach up to 150 degrees. Be sure to bring lots of water and sunscreen. Hiking all the way up to Star Dune is roughly around 6 miles depending on the route you take and can take between 6 and 9 hours to complete. I, personally, only made it about 1/4 of the way.
Another popular way to spend a day at Great Sand Dunes is to go sand boarding or sand sledding. These sand boards are designed specifically to ride down the sand, so a typical board or skis will not work on the dunes. The national park doesn’t rent out these boards so make sure to snag one before you enter the park. The Oasis store is located only 4 miles from the park and rents out sand boards from the spring to the fall.
If you’re looking to explore more of this area and have a 4-wheel drive high clearance vehicle, take a ride on Medano Pass Primitive Road. The road is 22 miles and is only open during warmer months. Always check the latest conditions on the national park website to ensure that the road is passable. The road crosses Medano Creek 9 times and runs through deep sand. It’s a great place to view wildlife such as bighorn sheep. The drive takes between 2-3 hours to complete.
With the dunes located in one place and only one main parking lot, this can feel like a small park, but once you get on the dunes, you’ll quickly realize just how vast this place truly is. Plan on spending a few hours to a few days here and come ready for a climb! Catch a sneak peak in the video below.