We already visited Great Sand Dunes National Park in May of 2017, but since we’re parked right up the road it makes sense to make another visit.
The Park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, with Star Dune standing over 750 feet tall, and the dunes cover roughly 30 square miles.
The Park Service also has a great collection of the area’s history, worth taking some time to read through before a visit.
Originally created as a National Monument in 1932, they were redesignated as a National Park and Preserve in 2004 while expanding the original boundaries.
Medano Creek was flowing when we last visited, but this late in the season it is simply a wide sandy wash with no trace of moisture.
The winds blow the sand from the valley floor up towards the Sangre de Cristo mountains, but storms blow the sand right back to the dunes, creating a never-ending cycle.
With a proper four-wheel drive vehicle and airing your tires down you can wander far up the Medano Pass Primitive Road, we opted only to drive a few miles in to take a few photos.
Highly recommend if you’re in the area, and stay in the campground if you have a camper that fits.
This is definitely one of the many gems that make up our National Park system.
Sudden Rise
The dunes simply rise up out of nothing
Dappled Dunes
Beautiful dappled color as clouds throw random shadows across the dunes.
Splotchy
More cloud cover
So Off-Roady
Jeeperz looks soooo off-roady parked on the dirt road 🙂
Great Sand Dunes
Entrance sign at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
