Great Sand Dunes National Park

Located in south-central Colorado, the name of this park is definitely misleading because in addition to the dunes the park offers: grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. The landscape is so diverse that you can see several of these features all at once, which creates an incredible feast for the senses.

Pinion Flats Campground

Nestled between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the dunes, this campground mostly provides a shelter from the ever-present winds that keep the sand trapped and the dunes expanding. On moonless nights, it’s also an excellent place to stargaze. However, the campground is not big-rig friendly and only allows vehicles up to 35ft (combined) in the campground. We had to disconnect the Jeep before entering to make sure we were under the limit.   

The Pebble Mishap

A few hours after we set up, a Pebble trailer arrived in the campsite next to us. A Pebble is the all-electric travel trailer that has motors in the wheels and allows you to move it around the campsite with a tablet. This is the first one we’ve seen and when they unhooked from the truck, it instantly rolled out of the campsite and across the street to bury its front wheels in the dirt. Thank goodness for the dirt, or it would have just kept going.

So, we went out and helped our new neighbors get the camper re-attached to the truck and in the campsite. We then provided them with a wheel chalk that another camper had left behind in Mesa Verde. Speaking with them after everything was set up, we learned that they were told that because of the design (electric brakes, electric levelers, etc.) of the camper, no wheel chalks or leveling blocks were required. This experience definitely proved that theory incorrect! They were very lucky that no damage was done to their equipment or anyone else’s.

Sunset over the Dunes

Our first evening in camp we catch sight of an amazing sunset over the dunes.

Montville Nature Trail

We begin our exploration of the park with the Montville Nature Trail which takes us through what was once the small community of Montville. Now it’s a 1/2-mile interpretive trail that takes us through the forest, crosses Mosca Creek, and gives a fantastic view of the stark contrast between the forest, the dunes, and the mountains beyond.

Visitor Center, Interpretive Trail & Dunes

Our next stop is the Visitor Center, interpretive trail, and dunes beyond.

Visitor Center

After checking out the Visitor Center and getting our National Park Passport Book stamped, we head out to the back patio for a view of the dunes and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains beyond. These are the tallest dunes in North America at 750 feet (230 meters) and are estimated to be less than 12,000 years old.

Interpretive Trail

The interpretive trail is a short loop leaving from the visitor center that gives you a view of the dunes, mountains beyond, and the forest across the street. There are information boards all the way along that give you interesting facts about what you’re seeing. We found it very informative and worth doing.

Dunes

At the end of the interpretive trail, we head down the Dunes Trail to get an up-close view. Along the way we see a wild turkey pecking the ground in the picnic area.

We’ve all walked on dunes before and none of us found it enjoyable, so we opt for pictures in the shade at the edge of the dunes and then head back.

Zapata Falls

Trailhead

Next, we head out of the park to the Zapata Falls trail a few miles south. It’s a steep winding road to get to the trailhead but the view from the top is worth it.

Zapata Falls Trail

The trail to Zapata Falls is less than a mile long (round-trip) but it’s very rocky and straight uphill. Plus, once you reach the top, you have to walk through South Zapata Creek to reach the falls. It’s not for the faint of heart and if you want to keep your feet dry, requires excellent balance.

Despite the difficulty of getting here, it’s worth it!

The Falls

These falls were formed when South Zapata Creek wore a groove through the mountain allowing water to spill through. Over time, the creek has widened this groove into a chasm that now showcases the two-tier, roughly 30-foot drop of Zapata Falls.

As always… to see and hear the falls for yourself click here to be taken to our YouTube channel.

Medano Pass Primitive Road

For our second and final day exploring the park, we head up the 20-mile 4-wheel drive (4WD) Medano Pass Primitive Road. This road takes us into the northern part of park only accessible via 4WD, into the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, up to Medano Pass at 10,040 feet, and finally into the San Isabel National Forest. Unfortunately, it’s very hazy today. We’re not sure if it’s dust in the air or smoke. 

North side of Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Sand Pit Picnic Area

Standing at the edge of The Sand Pit Picnic Area, we can see (from left to right): High Dune, Hidden Dune, and Highest Dune.

Castle Creek

Castle Creek provides access to Highest Dune and while we were here, we were able to watch a family sandboarding down it. It’s amazing how fast they come down. The people are the two little dots in the picture below. This definitely provides perspective for how tall the dune is.

To watch them sandboard down the dune… click here.

Great Sand Dunes National Preserve

As we cross into the preserve, we begin to climb up toward Medano Pass, passing multiple backcountry campsites and crossing Medano Creek multiple times. We stop frequently for pictures on the way up and the way down to capture the different views and landscapes we pass through.

Medano Pass

At Medano Pass we reach the summit of the trail at 10,040 feet. There are a few information boards here telling us about the pass and the men who passed through here during an 1800’s expedition.

San Isabel National Forest

After passing through the Medano Pass, we begin heading downhill through the San Isabel National Forest.  At this point the trail gets a little steeper and a lot bumpier.

It was at this point we decided to turn around as the road travels between private property on both sides, so there’s nowhere to pull over and have lunch. So, we head back to the forest and tuck into an unoccupied campground for a picnic lunch.

As we approach Great Sand Dunes again, we get a few shots as we’re driving through the deep sand from the northside of the park and of course we finally see some wildlife as we’re airing up the tires.

Overall, we really enjoyed seeing such diverse and contrasting landscapes all in one area but wish the views had been better.

Next stop… Salida to Buena Vista, Colorado