Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Basics

LOCATION: About 30 miles northeast of Alamosa, Colorado

LAST VISIT: 2022

VIDEO: Link to timelapse video on YouTube of sunrise over the sand dunes

PHOTOS: Link to Great Sand Dunes National Park Photo Gallery

Great Sand Dunes National Park is... weird.
I just don't know how else to describe it. Right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, near forests and snow capped mountains, you'll find the tallest sand dunes in North America.

We stopped at Great Sand Dunes National Park en route to another destination, so we didn't spend much time there. We arrived long before sunrise so that we could shoot a time lapse video of the first rays of sun hitting the sand dunes. It was an incredible (but cold!) experience, and we would definitely do it again. The sand dunes look completely different in the early morning light than they do in the flat, colorless light of mid day. They have a warmth and depth in that light that makes the pre-dawn journey well worth it. I highly recommend going there before sunrise!

We wandered around the areas of the park near roads and parking lots, but weren't able to hit the hiking or 4WD trails. We definitely want to go back and explore more!

Our Opinion

At first, it doesn't seem like there is much to see... just a pile of sand in front of a mountain backdrop. That first impression is deceiving, though. We can't wait to go back and hike to the top of the dunes, and drive the Medano Pass 4WD Road!