One modest stride into Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park and Preserve, at the foot of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, may evoke memories of one big leap for mankind. The park and preserve features 149,137 acres of tundra, woodland, marshes, and rising sand dunes in a magnificent variety of the country’s most unusual physical formations.
President Herbert Hoover declared the park as the Great Sand Dunes National Monument on March 17, 1932. In 2004, Congress approved a border revision and renamed the park as a national park. Visitors may now surf an ocean of sandy slopes, see planets illuminate, and listen to the sand sounds.
How Were the Sand Dunes Colorado Formed?
Two nearby mountain streams, the Medano and Sand Creeks, remove sand from the hillside of the enormous sand dunes and recycle it on the valley level. The Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park, as well as their status as the highest sand dunes in North America, benefit from the ongoing movement of sand caused by wind and water.
For thousands of years, people have travelled through, over, and around the Colorado Great Sand Dunes (the oldest evidence of human habitation on the dunes goes back approximately 11,000 years), and those who have visited have always felt a strong connection. These sand dunes have offered home and amazement to numerous cultures throughout the years, from Native American tribes such as the Navajo, Apache, and Utes, to European and American immigrants and homesteaders.
President Herbert Hoover designated the Great Sand Dunes Colorado as a National Monument in 1932, partly because of these deep ties and partly because of their long history in the United States’ Southwestern expansion. The Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Monument was designated as a National Park and Preserve between 2000 and 2004, and it is still one of Southwest Colorado’s most popular natural attractions.
7 Must-Do Things To Do At Sand Dunes Colorado
To fully appreciate it and trek out onto the dunes, you just need a few hours. However, you may find yourself wanting more time. Sandboarding and sand sledding are a thrill, the sunsets are breathtaking, and the park is just plain enjoyable.
We’ve never heard so much joy and laughter from youngsters as we did at this park. The youngest children like playing in the sand. Sandboarding or sledding will appeal to older children, teens, and adults who are still children in the heart.
Learn about the greatest things to do in Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park in this post, including how to have the best experience and things to do on your visit.
1- Sled down the sand dunes
It’s hardly a glistening desert mirage, to be sure. Those park visitors are really unloading wooden sleds from their automobiles and dragging them to the dune field. Great Sand Dunes Colorado Oasis, a campsite and cabin outpost just beyond the park entry, rents sand sleds for a daily charge. Once you’ve gathered your supplies, head to the top of the nearest dune, use the wax bar that came with your rental to lubricate the bottom of your sled, and let loose. Even if it means a mouthful of sand, wiping out is half the joy. You may even hire a sandboard, a warm-weather relative of the snowboard, and try to shred the slopes while standing up.
2- Go For tubing in Medano Creek
You wouldn’t believe you could float close to a sand dune on an inner tube, but that’s precisely what you can do in late spring on Medano Creek in Sand Dunes Colorado. The water usually runs from April through June, but it all depends on how much snow melts that year. Tubers and skimboarders benefit from “surge flows,” an uncommon phenomenon caused by water piling up behind sand deposits in the streambed before ultimately breaking through, causing waves and forward motion similar to a natural Slip ‘N Slide. By July or August, when most of Medano Creek has dried up for the year, the fun is generally done.
3- Trek for a good view of the area
If you’re looking for a quick leg stretch, the park includes plenty of short-ish walks. Montville Nature Trail (shown) is a level half-mile (0.8km) circle with woodland and dune vistas, while Sand Sheet Loop Trail winds through the grasslands near the visitor centre for a quarter-mile (0.4km). Hike to Dunes Overlooks from Pion Flats Campground for a panoramic view of the dune field (the trailhead starts in Loop 2). This 2.3-mile (3.7-kilometre) round-trip climb gives breathtaking views of the first ridge of the Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park.
4- Climb the highest dunes
Hikers with a sense of adventure attempt to climb High Dune (699 feet/213m) and Star Dune (755 feet/230m), the two highest peaks in the 30-square-mile (78-square-kilometre) dune field. Imagine slogging up a near-vertical hill over shifting sands that may reach a searing 150 degrees Fahrenheit on summer afternoons—neither is for the faint of heart or the weak of calf strength (66 C). Those that persevere to the top are rewarded with a panoramic view of acres of dunes that aren’t visible from the valley bottom. It takes roughly two hours to go to High Dune and five hours to get to the top of Star Dune, North America’s highest sand dune.
5- Look for exotic wildlife
Exceptional Sand Ord’s kangaroo rat (sorry, but it looks more like a rodent than a marsupial) and the huge sand treader camel cricket are among the species and insects discovered in Sand Dunes Colorado National Park, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth. The greatest times to see adorable animals are at dusk and morning. In the grasslands that border the entry road, look for elk, pronghorn, and mule deer. Bigger creatures, such as black bears and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, can also be found. Along Mosca Pass Trail, you could even see a bobcat slinking around.
6- Bring your dog with you
The Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park is one of the most dog-friendly in the country. Rangers even throw out a pamphlet at the entrance gate that details the ideal times and places to visit with your dog. The National Park Service expects the pet owners to be responsible with their pets to continue their privilege of having fun with their fur babies at the park. Dogs with leashes are allowed up to the High dune and in the main area as well along with the hikes from Pion Flats, Wellington Ditch Trail, and Montville Nature Trail.
7- Have fun in Zapata Falls
Zapata Falls offers a refreshing respite from the dusty heat. The mile-long (2km) journey to the cascade begins on a steep hill before encountering the babbling South Zapata Creek, which is located approximately 8 miles (13km) south of the national park’s entrance. As the slot canyon walls seem to press in on each side, hike upstream for a few minutes (wear strong hiking boots or bring water shoes). Finally, there’s a 20-foot-tall (6-meter) waterfall in the rear of the crevasse. Even only for the shade and deliciously cold water, the trek is worthwhile. The dune field views are an added perk.
Final Thoughts
The Great Sand Dunes Colorado National Park and Preserve are never the same for everyone, they offer each visitor a unique experience. For millennia, the huge dunes have been forming and drifting, forever altering their structure. Medano Creek appears during peak season and dissipates in the winter. Elk herds have taken the place of the mammoths that formerly roamed the land thousands of years ago. Whenever you choose to visit this park, keep in mind that it will always welcome you back with fresh surprises. Make your travel arrangements now.