Posted October 17, 2023
The Tallest Dunes in North America!
Great Sand Dunes National Park offers many unique and diverse features! The Sangre de Cristo Mountains make a spectacular backdrop for the dunes, forests, and even wetlands. The tallest dune, Star Dune, rises 741 feet above the valley floor. With almost constant winds, tracks created by tourists one day will be gone the next!
Darla and I timed our visit nicely to catch the evening light and clouds. The park’s visitor’s guide suggests it can be hot in the daytime, then can cool after the sun sets. With the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, the park is open year around. Timed entry passes are not required. Leashed dogs are allowed on the dunes. (Note: I cloned out the leash in Macey’s photo below).
Additional Comments & Notes
There’s a lot more to this park than just the sand dunes! I have a feeling many people undervalue this National Park until they dig a little deeper. The park and preserve protects over 149,000 acres. Cottonwoods and aspens line the river bottoms. The diverse forests are home to bears, mountain lions. Kangaroo rats emerge at night, and bobcats, coyotes, and as many as nine species of owls hunt them. Salamanders and three species of toads appear on wet nights. The skies are dark at night—great for star gazing and night photography.
After studying the park guide, it is apparent you can drive deeper into the park on dirt roads and even farther in a high-clearance four wheel drive vehicle. The closest town is Alamosa, CO where you can find numerous hotels. The Great Sand Dunes Lodge is located very close to the park entrance, and could save the 34 mile drive each direction if staying in Alamosa.
Photo Galleries
Images captured handheld with a Sony A1 and Tamron 35-150mm lens.
Download or view the Great Sand Dunes National Park visitor’s guide by Clicking Here!
The visitor’s guide contains a wealth of information about the park, including a map, photos, trip suggestions, camping & lodging information and so much more.
These panoramic images were captured handheld with a Sony A1 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens. Three to five captures (pano parts) were stitched and adjusted in Lightroom.
