Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, National park and preserve in Alamosa County, Colorado, US.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a national park and protected area in southern Colorado, where tall dunes stretch along the Sangre de Cristo Range. The dunes form a field of around 78 square kilometers, surrounded by grassland, wetlands, and coniferous forests at higher elevations.
Over hundreds of thousands of years, wind and water carried sand from the Rio Grande valley into this corner of the San Luis Valley. The region was recognized as a national monument in the early 20th century and later expanded into a national park.
The name describes the landscape directly: vast sandy expanses that rise against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Visitors can walk barefoot across the dunes or slide down the steep slopes on special boards, an activity especially popular with younger guests.
The best time to visit is between late spring and early summer, when Medano Creek carries water and temperatures are comfortable. Sturdy footwear helps when climbing the higher dunes, though many guests walk barefoot once they take advantage of the cooler morning hours.
After nightfall, an exceptionally clear starry sky appears here, as the remote location and dry air allow little light pollution. The combination of desert sand and snow-covered peaks in close proximity creates a scene rarely found in North America.
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The western United States protects some of North America's most diverse natural landscapes. From the layered canyons of Canyonlands in Utah to the white gypsum dunes of White Sands in New Mexico, this region spans multiple climate zones and geological formations. Visitors find national parks, Pueblo...
Colorado contains natural areas and historical sites located away from main roads and common routes. These places tell the story of the state's geology and human history through varied landscapes. Visitors will find sand dunes, waterfalls, rock formations, and remains from the mining era. Locations...
Zapata Falls
13.2 km
Crestone Peak
26.8 km
Crestone Needle
26.4 km
Challenger Point
28.8 km
Humboldt Peak
27.4 km
Kit Carson Peak
28.6 km
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
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Baca National Wildlife Refuge
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Broken Hand Peak
25.4 km
Trujillo Homestead
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Colony Baldy
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Superintendent's Residence, Great Sand Dunes National Monument
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4.9 km
Upper Sand Creek Lake
23.1 km
Big Spring Creek
10.6 km
Medano Ranch Headquarters
15.1 km
Lower Sand Creek Lake
21.9 kmRock dedicated to L.B. "Bill" Casselman
11.1 kmAmphitheatre
1.4 kmMedano Pass
15.4 kmScenic viewpoint
11.1 kmScenic viewpoint
26.1 kmScenic viewpoint
5.2 kmWaterfall
26.1 kmWaterfall
25 kmWaterfall
25.3 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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