Many of my favorite memories as a child come from this park. After my dad died, when I was 3, my mom bravely struck out with me in a big 70’s Blazer that we camped in the back of. We let the air out of the tires and drove along the Medano Pass road. We camped, roasted marshmallows, and I got to see up close and personal that women can do anything they want to do. Later on, we camped in a pop-up trailer there, too, listening to the wind pass back and forth between the Sangre de Cristos and the San Juans, from what I’ve told the wind action that created the dunes. We went to ranger talks at night, played in the sand, and made memories that are clear as day to me almost 40 years later. This Park, among others, gave me some of the best memories of my life.
Sincerely,
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
How can something that is constantly shifting stand up to 750 feet tall? This southwestern park features the largest sand dunes in North America, and the key to their extraordinary height seems to lie in the combination of strong opposing winds and the presence of rivers and creeks, which capture drifting sands and redeposit them back on the dunes. Some of these remarkable hills are formations known as star dunes, molded by complex wind patterns into multi-pronged shapes, which look a bit like starfish from above.
State(s): Colorado
Established: 2004
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Greetings from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
I visited when this used to be a National Monument and returned years later when it grew up to become a National Park. Forest, river, sand dune, mountains topped with snow capped peaks I see a natural layer cake.
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Greetings from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Great Sand Dunes in Colorado took my breath away both figuratively and literally (we live near the Texas coast). The dunes are a true wonder with their tan soaring peaks in contrast to the surrounding jagged mountains. I love this place. It's unlike anyplace I've ever been. Driving up to…
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Greetings from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
We've visited the Great Sand Dunes over a couple of dozen times and each time provided unique experiences. Perhaps the most memorable ones included going there with my wife and kids in early June when Medano Creek pulsated with rather large waves coming from snow-melt from the Sangre de Cristo…
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