When is the best time to visit the great sand dunes national park?
Mountains of shifting sand swirl around the feet of the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern Colorado. Rising over 750 feet, the dunes are the largest sand dunes in North America. On Monday, September 13, 2004, they became part of the newest national park in the United States. The new Great Sand Dunes National Park contains more than sand—the 84,670-acre park also includes mountain lakes and tundra, high mountain peaks, pine and spruce forests, stands of aspen, grassland, and wetlands. This natural color image, acquired by the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (EMT+) on October 14, 1999, shows the park and its immediate surroundings. To the west of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is a vast sand field, which extends beyond the left edge of this image. As the wind blow east over the plain, it picks up the sand. Like snow drifting behind a snow fence, the blowing sand is blocked by the mountains and accumulates at their base. Over years, the loose sand has built into massive d
Visiting in Summer About 300,000 visitors come to the park annually, and most visit during the warmer summer months. Summer temperatures at this 8200′ (2470 m) elevation average in the 80s F., with lows at night averaging in the 40s F. July and August can bring heavy afternoon rainstorms with lightning. Call the local National Weather Service number, (719) 589-3232, or check weather online for a current forecast and conditions for the main visitor use area. Exploring the Park in Summer Plan to hike on the dunes in morning or evening to avoid afternoon storms, and to avoid the hot mid-day sand surface. A dunes-accessible wheelchair is available for those unable to walk in the dunes. Afternoon activities can include hiking in the adjacent Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Cool off at Zapata Falls, a popular 1/2 mile hike; the trailhead is 12 miles south of the Park and Preserve. In average to wet years, Medano Creek begins to flow as a trickle in early April, increasing to a wide stream flowin
Mountains of shifting sand swirl around the feet of the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern Colorado. Rising over 750 feet, the dunes are the largest sand dunes in North America. On Monday, September 13, 2004, they became part of the newest national park in the United States. The new Great Sand Dunes National Park contains more than sand—the 84,670-acre park also includes mountain lakes and tundra, high mountain peaks, pine and spruce forests, stands of aspen, grassland, and wetlands. This natural color image, acquired by the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (EMT+) on October 14, 1999, shows the park and its immediate surroundings. To the west of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is a vast sand field, which extends beyond the left edge of this image. As the wind blow east over the plain, it picks up the sand. Like snow drifting behind a snow fence, the blowing sand is blocked by the mountains and accumulates at their base. Over years, the loose sand has built into massive d
