My family just got back from our third visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa, Colorado, and we had so much fun. The sand dunes have a lot going for them for visitors:
- Beach/water play (spring/early summer!)
- Hiking for MILES
- Sand sledding/boarding
- Gorgeous views day AND night (recognized as an international dark sky park, so excellent star-gazing in clear weather)
- Camping
This was our third visit in 10 years, spanning my kids’ ages from 4 and 6 to 14 and 16, and this time my sister and her family joined us (the cousins range in age from 8 to 18) plus my parents. Truly an all-ages destination!
Where to Stay
We’ve been to the dunes three times and we always booked a site for our hybrid camper at the Pinon Flats Campground, the only campground in the national park. Friends, do yourselves a favor and set an Alexa reminder, put a note in your phone or slap a sticky note on your calendar to book SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE. The runoff season is short and the campground books solid. From my experience I can say that you need to study the individual campsite details closely when you book on recreation.gov — sites are very exposed, widely variable in size and often tricky to back a camper into. There aren’t any hookups for water or electricity at the campground so bring an extra battery if you’re in a camper, just in case. They do have free potable water at the dump station between the national park pay station and the campground, so you don’t have to tow a filled camper. The campground had surprisingly nice bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks as well as dish-washing stations!
Warning! The weather at the dunes can be extreme. On our most recent visit the winds at night were so fierce, I felt worried for the tent campers. If you’re tent camping, be prepared to do some serious anchoring just in case. We’ve also experienced pea-sized hail at the dunes.
Activities
Rent a sand sled at the Oasis before you enter the national park and get ready to hike! But also bring sand toys for river fun after the sun climbs high enough to make the sand uncomfortably hot. Here’s my family’s strategy for maximum dunes fun:
- Get up early! Fill Camelbaks and water bottles, pack a cooler or at least snacks, put camp chairs and sand toys in the back of the truck
- Drive from the campground to the main Dunes parking lot no later than 8AM to get a coveted parking spot (especially true on the weekends!)
- All dune-hiking/sledding happens first while the sand (and air temp) is relatively cool (sunscreen, hats, sunglasses are non-negotiable!)
- Beach time + bathroom break (restrooms are at the parking lot) once the sand is too hot
I can’t emphasize enough how much an early start will improve the ease of your day. Even in the best-case scenario, the walk from the main parking lot is about 3/4 miles from the base of the dunes! I’m all for enjoying a nice leisurely breakfast on a weekend morning, but know that you’re likely doubling your walk to the dunes if you show up at 10AM on days that Medano Creek is flowing. On the day that my family and I hiked to the top of the dunes, we could see a line of cars 2 miles long waiting to get into the national park. Some of those people would have had to park at the Sand Dunes Visitor Center (an additional 3/4 mile from the dunes).
Do I Really Need to Rent a Sand Board? Can I Just Bring A Snow Sled?
We learned the sad way (when my kids were little and schlepping up the dunes was a huge effort for their little legs) that plastic snow sleds don’t cut it on the dunes. Ditto for big pieces of cardboard which we’ve seen other people try on the dunes. The line to rent sleds at Oasis (just before you enter the national park) gets long, so I recommend just spending the extra $20 for the day you arrive so you can enjoy your sled first thing the next morning when it’s cool outside (bonus: avoiding the queue to re-enter the national park).
Should you sled or board? My teenagers had a lot of fun trying out a sand board this time, but they’ve both had a little experience snowboarding. On the day that we hiked 1-1/2 hours to the top of the dunes, we noticed so many people who schlepped sand boards all the way to the top, only to discover that sandboarding is not as easy as it looks. Many of them carried the boards back down with them (another hour). I would recommend getting a sand sled if you don’t have experience sand/snow boarding. And even if you are a snowboarder, it turns out that with sand boarding you’re supposed to keep your weight on your back leg which is opposite from snowboarding so it’s not like you’ll kill it immediately. See this article on sandboarding from the REI blog:
“‘If you already snowboard, you are halfway there, but the properties of sand are more like a liquid, so it maneuvers and feels more like surfing,’ Beale said. ‘When surfers come out, they get it in the first run. Snowboarders have to make some adjustments. It usually takes them a couple of runs before they get it.'”
When to Go
For my family, the only time to go to the dunes is in late May/early June when there is (usually) runoff from the Sangre de Christo mountains creating a broad, shallow river and beach area that is fun to walk and play in. Many people bring shade tents and coolers and stay for hours with sand toys for the kids.
When we visited in 2016, there was almost no water flow at the base of the dunes. Luckily we had a truck with 4WD and friends who knew of a 4WD trail that took us up higher to where water was running, but that’s not realistic for most people and added an extra layer of preparation, planning and hassle. So book your campsite 6 months in advance, then start checking the Medano Creek website from the NPS to see what conditions are like before you head up if enjoying the water is part of your plan.
Downsides
Accessibility
Geographic Accessibility
The Dunes are not really “on the way” to anything. They’re 235 miles from central Denver by car (via I-25), no public transit options. You could absolutely plan a hiking or camping-centered trip around being in that part of Colorado (there are ten 14ers in the Sangre De Cristos) but the nearest big city (Colorado Springs) is 165 miles away if you take the non-scenic route (I-25).
Physical Accessibility
I’m not an expert in physical accessibility, but it seems to me that the sand dunes would be difficult to access for people with mobility concerns. If my 93-year old Grandma with limited range of motion had been with us, she would have missed out on the sand dunes walking/climbing, but may have enjoyed sitting by the river cooling her feet in the water if we had a sturdy chair for her (getting down to the water from the parking lot involves traversing down a sandy bank). She would have enjoyed the Visitor Center and found it easy to move around in, plus they have an amazing view of the dunes. The campground roads were paved and the restrooms had accessible bathrooms with flush toilets and running water in the sinks.
Note: Keep your Pets Safe
Dogs will probably outnumber humans in Colorado soon, and dog lovers were out in full force on our latest Dunes trip. Unfortunately a lot of pet guardians don’t seem aware that in the heat of day, the temperature of the sand on the dunes can reach 150 degrees! I only saw a few dogs using paw protection.
Final Thoughts
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a great place to experience the diversity and awe of nature. It’s out of the way but makes for a great camping trip if you plan ahead and have the right gear. Get up early to take a big hike on the sand, check out the Visitor Center for lots of hands-on exhibits (and a National Parks Passport Stamp!), at minimum bring a cooler with lunch and some cool drinks and stay hydrated!
Feel free to email me with any tips or tricks you’ve gleaned from your own Sand Dunes National Park experience!
Related:
Convenience Foods For Your Camping (Glamping?) Trip
Great Things About Going to Yellowstone National Park in September
Colorado Fall Color: Caribou Ranch Open Space
What I’m reading: How to be Everything by Emilie Wapnick
What I read with my 7-year old niece when we were camping at the dunes: Eye Spy Teasure Hunt by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick
Photos taken by me, Heather Hart, with an iPhone12