Great Sand Dunes National Park is located in southern Colorado, about 3.5 hours from Denver. The Quick Guide to Visiting Denali National Park National Park and Preserve. There are also RV sites and cabins. Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center main number, Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center main number, Sandhill Crane Migration (Spring and Fall), Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details. All sales and percentage site revenue include a donation to help support the National Parks. When you approach the tallest sand dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park, you almost feel like you are on the set of Star Wars. Best Times To Visit. Brie Goumaz. The tallest dune, Star Dune, rises almost 800ft. There are many events from May through September including the Summer Concert Series and Junior Ranger Day programs. By Courtney Johnson. Every traveler visiting the region should dedicate at least one night to viewing the night sky, especially if you live in an area with light pollution and you’re not accustomed to seeing many stars. How Much Time Should I Spend Visiting Denali National Park? She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of the Parks with others and helping them learn to love the parks as much as she does. Go to the Visitor’s Center for maps, guides and interactive exhibits. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in Saguache and Alamosa Counties, Colorado at approximately 37.75° north latitude and 105.5° west longitude. Great Sand Dunes National Park is located in southern Colorado, about 3.5 hours from Denver. Hike to the Tallest Dune in North America. The daily entrance fee for Great Sand Dunes National Park is $25 per vehicle. The information contained in this site is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Affiliate links are used on this blog. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve offers great hiking, outstanding views plus the adventure of the Medano Pass Primitive Road. The gates are only staffed between the hours of 6 AM and 5 PM, which means you can sneak in for free if you visit outside of those hours. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is in Southern Colorado. Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of southern Colorado’s most visited attractions and was recently chosen as one of Time’s “Coolest Places 2019”.Recognized as a national park in 2004, it boasts North America’s highest sand dunes and is the perfect spring or fall getaway, just across the Sangre de Cristo Range from Custer County. There are very few places in North America where can you backpack into a field of giant sand dunes and pitch a tent for the night. There are many events from May through September including the Summer Concert Series and Junior Ranger Day programs. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Quick Things To Know Before Going to Great Sand Dunes. from the valley floor! Experience the Dunes. Katy Bracket. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve spans a 150,000-acre area. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Four-wheel drive up to Medano Pass. Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park. We were surprised and delighted by our trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park, but we did not come prepared. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units. The map at left highlights the wilderness areas in yellow. Colorado is a gorgeous place that has high visitation in the summer months once the snow melts giving way to beautiful mountains, clean air, hiking, fishing, and many more outdoor sports. The National Park known as Great Sand Dunes National Park sits on Jicarilla Apache, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) land. Consult the official Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve web site for information on fees and camping reservations. All images courtesy of the author. Experience a starry sky on moonless nights, or a surreal walk on the dunes … Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park was on the list and this weekend we gave it a BIG check off. The 12 Most Dog-Friendly National Parks. Speaking of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, there is a waterfall named Zapata Falls that is at the base of the Sangre de Cristos not far from Great Sand Dunes National Park and well worth a visit to the shady waters, especially on a hot summer day. Great Sand Dunes, Colorado -- Grasslands, wetlands, conifer, aspen, alpine lakes, tundra and more. These cookies do not store any personal information. 81146, (719) 378-6395 Pets are not allowed elsewhere in the park. The Special Park Use Coordinator can help you find a location outside of the wilderness areas. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Great Sand Dunes National Park is open year-round. This national park road trip still tops our list of favs. Exploring the world, one national park at a time. The Great Sand Dunes National Park an Preserve is a unique geological formation in southwestern Colorado. For some baffling reason, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado doesn’t receive nearly as much credit and attention as it should. The Great Sand Dunes National Park can be visited any time of the year. She has currently been to 53 of the National Parks. Great Sand Dunes National Park serves up 30 square miles of enormous sand dunes—the biggest in North America. High Dune. That means you… About Great Sand Dunes. How about exploring some sand dunes! Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. After having visited White Sands National Monument and Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes at Death Valley, we thought we could handle hiking up the dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Key Facts: Travel dates: 5/26-5/27/19. Located in south central Colorado on the east side of the Front Range, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America. Are dogs allowed in Acadia National Park? Not surprisingly, this national park draws tourists because the location features spectacular sand dunes, the tallest in North America. Great Sand Dunes National Park costs the following: An annual Great Sand Dunes National Park Pass costs $35 but it is not recommended you buy this pass. As the snow melts in the mountains, Medano Creek begins to run faster. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Some dates are designated for free park admission. Yes, Great Sand Dunes is one of the most dog-friendly National Parks. National Park Obsessed assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site (NationalParkObsessed.com). Because of the park’s remote location, Great Sand Dunes doesn’t suffer from much light pollution. By. Camping open dates are April 1 to November 1. Planning a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park and need some help planning your trip? Due to its remote location, the park has limited cell reception and no Wi-Fi both in and near the park. If the Great Sand Dunes National Park is on your bucket, check out this list of things to know before planning your visit in order to make the best out of your trip. Produced by Gak Stonn. The dune fields encompass more than 30 square miles beneath the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park with Kids. We spent the weekend hiking, enjoying the natural beauty of the dunes, and having a blast with our friends. My multigenerational family road tripped to the Great Sand Dunes for the first time, experiencing sand, water and lots of laughter. Sandboarding and Sledding. Originally designated as a national monument in March of 1932, Great Sand Dunes was named a national park in September of 2004. Camping at the Great Sand Dunes Welcome to the Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado. We take a short road trip to the Great Sand Dunes National park almost every year. I hope these photos and tips from my time visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park will inspire a fun trip for you! I’d like to offer up five additional reasons to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve that are worth adding a few days to your itinerary. Jennifer is a long time national park blogger and the founder of National Park Obsessed. You are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence before acting on the information provided on this site and should not rely on the opinions expressed here. It's about a 4 hour drive from Denver and 3 ½ hours from Aspen, so tourists and out-of-staters often miss seeing it. You have the snowy mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park, the gorgeous gorges of Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the mind-boggling ruins of Mesa Verde, and of course the great sand dunes of, erm, Great Sand Dunes National Park. At the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado you can hike, camp and sand sled and more on the tallest dunes in North America. Great Sand Dunes National Park is worth visiting because of its dunes! 31 Oct 2020 1 Nov 2020 Jennifer Melroy. Get information on Great Sand Dunes National Park Travel Guide - Expert Picks for your Vacation hotels, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, sightseeing, and activities. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in Saguache and Alamosa Counties, Colorado at approximately 37.75° north latitude and 105.5° west longitude. Hike the Highest Dune You Can! Giant Sand Dunes. Great Sand Dunes National Park encompasses more than 30 square miles of dunes, plus alpine lakes and tundra, desert valley, the Sangre de Cristo mountains, ancient spruce and pine forests, grasslands, and wetlands. As you are driving through Colorado's farm, prairie, and marsh lands, snow capped peaks in the distance provide a stunning backdrop for absolutely massive sand dunes that seemingly come out of nowhere. From afar, this park is so bold and beautiful that it can feel as though you are entering a painting. We work to create comprehensive guides to the national parks and lands. Fun Facts about Denali National Park and Preserve, When to Visit Denali National Park and Preserve, How to Get to Denali National Park and Preserve. Visitors can hike them (some peak as … A 90 second video orienting you to locations in the main use area of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the four national parks found in Colorado. Camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. At this high elevation, winter conditions and snowfall can occur from November through April. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is open year round. Get the Junior Ranger booklet for the kids to learn more about the parks, its ecosystem and wildlife. Ride a fat bike: Fat tire bikes (think souped-up mountain bikes with extra wide tires that make riding … National Park Obsessed is your guide to the national parks. With the tallest sand dunes in the North America, you simply won't find taller sand dunes and they are majestic to gaze upon. Mosca, CO During the summer, the surface of the sand can reach 150°F. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mosca: Address, Phone Number, Great Sand Dunes National Park Reviews: 4.5/5 Park Size: 149,028 acres (232.86 sq miles) (603.10 sq km). We hope you use our website to enhance your National Park adventures and provide a place to share your national park story through our website and social media accounts. Located in south central Colorado on the east side of the Front Range, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America. As I said above, I visited this park for 10 days in the middle of September and 5 days in the middle of July. If you have an annual pass for the national parks, Great Sand Dunes is included. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve spans a 150,000-acre area. For an extra $45 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. The dune fields encompass more than 30 square miles beneath the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. From late spring to early fall, you can rent sandboards and sleds from … Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park. As we just pointed out, the sand can reach unbearably hot temperatures during certain times of the year. Rain and wind storms can occur any time of year. Camping and Lodging. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Each one of those four varies greatly in views. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve protects the tallest dunes in North America… and a whole lot more. The largest dunes in North America were millions of years in the making, but it was the newest park to receive “national park” status, in 2003. Here is a short video provided by the Great Sand Dunes National Park Service showcasing what the Great Sand Dunes have to offer. It's an awesome drive in to see the dunes magically appear. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is RANDOM. Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park. Tonight Dec 12 - Dec 13 Check prices close to Great Sand Dunes National Park for tonight, Dec 12 - Dec 13 Tomorrow night Dec 13 - Dec 14 Check prices close to Great Sand Dunes National Park for tomorrow night, Dec 13 - Dec 14 Next weekend Dec 18 - Dec 20 Check prices close to Great Sand Dunes National Park for next weekend, Dec 18 - Dec 20 The national park is located in the San Luis Valley while the national preserve is located to the east in an adjacent section of the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains. Great Sand Dunes National Park: Always a Great Visit - See 896 traveler reviews, 1,044 candid photos, and great deals for Mosca, CO, at Tripadvisor. The Sand Dunes are the result of wind and water driving debris into the mountains, and they are absolutely stunning. Great Sand Dunes National Park: Very unique place to visit in Colorado - See 896 traveler reviews, 1,044 candid photos, and great deals for Mosca, CO, at Tripadvisor. Be warned, it's a slower journey than … If it’s too hot for you to walk barefoot – it’s too hot for your pup! Chill out at Zapata Falls: Though not inside Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Zapata Falls is a terrific stop during a visit to the area and a fun place to cool off from the hot sun. Required fields are marked *. 11999 State Highway 150 You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. We flew to Colorado for a three-day holiday weekend in January and visited some amazing attractions but most of all, spent some time at the incredible Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.Here are some tips for visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park with kids. This national park is very kid friendly, and they’re free to roam in most areas. The park and preserve contain ecosystems ranging from wetlands to forest to tundra—each supporting specially adapted plant, animal and insect life. The mountains are barren of snow in late summer and early fall, but weather is generally pleasant, and mid … Visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park to see some stunning Colorado scenery. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. Pets are welcome in the Main Dune area along with Dunes Overlook Trail and the Medano Pass Primitive Road. The entrance fees are very affordable at $3.00 a person or a yearly pass for $15 dollars. Experience the Night. This makes for some of the darkest starry skies in America. The national park is located in the San Luis Valley while the national preserve is located to the east in an adjacent section of the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains. Here are our tips for visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado. While the creek never gets much higher than a foot or so deep, it is enough to splash around in. The daily entrance fee for Great Sand Dunes National Park is $25 per vehicle. It is honestly so astounding as you drive into the park and see the massive dunes come into view, with the mountains rising above them in the background. Please review the Great Sand Dunes Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Great Sand Dunes. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is such an incredible place to visit; not only is it one of the lesser known National Parks, it is also definitely one of the lesser crowded ones! There are no hotel options within Great Sand Dunes National Park, but there is a campground. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Great Sand Dunes National Park: Wonderful National Park to Visit - See 876 traveler reviews, 1,020 candid photos, and great deals for Mosca, CO, at Tripadvisor. Especially at sunset (peep the pics below below). “High Dune” is on the first ridge, and contrary to how it looks, it’s not … It is $80 if you plan on buying it at the gate. As you are driving through Colorado's farm, prairie, and marsh lands, snow capped peaks in the distance provide a stunning backdrop for absolutely massive sand dunes that seemingly come out of nowhere. Visitor Center Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book? Great Sand Dunes National Park Visitor Center – Open Year Round. Great Sand Dunes National Park: Very unique place to visit in Colorado - See 896 traveler reviews, 1,044 candid photos, and great deals for Mosca, CO, at Tripadvisor. 1. Here's three of my favorite photography reasons to go book your trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park right now. All of the blown sand from the great plains gets trapped here due to the mountains. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24 hours (making it an excellent spot for star gazing and night photography!) 28 Sep 2020. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Number of travelers: 2 (me and my friend, Jessica) Primary activities: hiking, camping. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Where are Acadia National Park’s visitor centers? We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve offers great hiking, outstanding views plus the adventure of the Medano Pass Primitive Road. It is $80 if you plan on buying it at the gate. The best times in my opinion to visit is in the spring, starting around May 1st, when the water starts to run. Sunflowers peak sometime the last two weeks of August. Which is such a shame, because it's gorgeous! 0 shares. Camping Rates: Primitive Wilderness Tent sites: $25.00 per night for 2 persons (no reservations available), additional person rate $2.50. Medano Creek's bed is usually dry at the main Dunes Parking Area during all of August. Depending on how much rain there has been, there are streams that flow around the dunes and are popular for cooling off while visiting the dunes – which was a much welcome reprieve whenever the temperatures were well in the 90s when we visited. If you have an annual pass for the national parks, Great Sand Dunes is included. Plan to Visit the “High Dune” On a bit of a tight schedule? Fall is definitely the best time to go! (only in national preserve during legal seasons). Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. She is a dedicated National Park lover who is working on visiting all 62 US National Parks. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay or eat, check out the Great Sand Dunes Oasis just outside of the park. Due to its remote location, the park has limited cell reception and no Wi-Fi both in and near the park. Visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Our goal with this national park blog is to inspire your next national park visit. Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24/7, so if you love stargazing, make sure to make a visit after the sun drops. Welcome to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, North America’s tallest dunes, towering as high as 750 feet. Support National Park Obsessed by purchasing from our shop and show your support of our parks. Admission Price: $15 per car. Read my full disclosure here. This includes the main dunefield. With the tallest sand dunes in all of North America (some up to 750 feet) and a vast amount of land full of wildlife, it’s one of the most unique national parks in the entire country. Walking and hiking on the sand was challenging, but everyone had a lot of fun. Walk around the base or take a hike to the top of one (or all) the dunes. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is RANDOM. Kids can earn either a patch or badge after completing the activities. There is an inherent risk in all outdoor recreation activities, the reader assumes all responsibility for their own personal safety. Take in the spectacular view of the white peaked Sangre de Cristo mountains as the backdrop to the vast fields of sand and Medano Creek. Fee-Charging National Park road trip still tops our list of favs the best of the areas. Patch or badge after completing the activities last two weeks of August gave it a BIG check off 's! Can opt-out if you have an annual pass for the National parks found in Colorado this $ 80 offers. Completing the activities same time ride a fat visiting great sand dunes national park: fat tire bikes ( souped-up. 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