A Trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park - Why You Need to Visit in 2026!

Introduction

The Great Sand Dunes are one of the greatest gifts to Colorado...here's why. These interesting formations were naturally created over the last 440,000 years (that's like 5,500 human lifetimes). Over time, the wind began blowing sediment left behind from receded lakes in the San Luis Valley. The base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains provided a wall for the sediment to be stopped, and this eventually created a nearly 30 sq. mile area worth of sand dunes. How lucky are we that all of that sand decided to collect itself right here in Colorado? We are so lucky in fact that different indigenous communities like the Ute, Apache, and Navajo nations have all considered the dunes to be a sacred place.

Some More History

In January of 1807, the first recorded American to discover the Great Sand Dunes was Zebulon Pike on his travels across the Sangre De Cristo Mountains. An entire century later in the 1920's when coal mining was reaching it's biggest employment numbers, a P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) of Women began campaigning against commercial development. Which then led to March 17th, 1932 when President Herbert Hoover considered the area a national monument. And in its most recent history, on September 24th, 2004 it was reconsidered a national park AND preserve which expanded its boundaries allowing more of its area to be preserved. Fun Fact: the sand dunes can be known to make a humming noise when avalanches occur which created the term "singing sands".

Wildlife

The dunes are able to safely host many types of wildlife that would possibly not be there today if the Dunes weren't deemed a monument in 1932. Some of the animals include: American Pikas, Bison, Tiger Salamanders, and short horned lizards. From amphibians to mammals, there are so many beautiful creatures that call the Great Sand Dunes home.

A Day Trip From Denver

Let's talk about my experience! Living just a short 15 miles south of Denver, the drive was about 3 and 1/2 hours there, one way. My three other friends and I loaded up in a car after work, and began our journey. We stopped at a grocery store on the way to grab food that would feed us for the night and into the next day. I packed a simple bag of clothes and other essentials, but nothing else was necessary.

We arrived late into the night, so we decided to go star gazing! Fun Fact: The Great Sand Dunes is a certified International Dark Sky Park, which means they are dedicated to having exceptionally dark skies at night, and little to no light pollution. Unfortunately for me and my friends, it was a very cloudy night. So we drove ourselves to the campsite for the evening to get some rest. Little did we know, we were staring right at an incredible 13,000 ft tall sand dune.

Camping

We stayed the night at Zapata Falls Campground which is right down the road that leads you to the Dunes. A beautiful winding road up into the foothills of a mountain will take you to your campsite. You have a perfect, shining view that overlooks the park from there. We slept in the car, and woke up to the sound of birds chirping, and threw on our "sand clothes" to venture back to the park.

Hiking the Dunes

When we arrived back at the park in the following morning, we were amazed by the view. The sky was clear and the temperature was sitting at a perfect 58 degrees. We started at the visitor center to understand what we were in for. And after a quick run through, we made our way out. It's important to mention that we visited in late February on a randomly warmer day, which means the water was all dried up for the season. But typically, you cross a water path then you're on your way to the rest of the Dunes.

The hike starts simple enough with coarse sand, and then gradually gets more dramatic in elevation paired with softer sand. Of course, the pattern of the dunes change day by day, minute by minute, and second by second, so its not very predictable. However, you'll be in for a unique challenge. If you've never hiked up sand before, it's a strange feeling that has lots of resistance, so you'll be sure to get in a good workout! There's no trails, so that means there's no designated "end" to your journey either. My best advice, is to just go until you feel accomplished!

These are my beautiful friends at the beginning of our hike

Important advice: Stay VERY hydrated, bring lots of water with you, and have plenty before you start hiking, bring only what you need (avoid bringing your wallet, keys, or even your phone, they are incredibly easy to loose in the sand), wear protective clothing according to the weather. I recommend glasses, a bandanna, or any face coverings to avoid getting sand in your eyes/mouth/etc., and wear sunscreen in rain/shine/winter/or summer.

Activities

Lots of people will bring sand boards to glide down the sand, however my friends and I opted to just bring ourselves and have fun. We ran fast into jumps we took off the side of tall cliffs that were cushioned by warm sand beneath us. It was a feeling I've never felt before, which I could only describe as "walking on clouds". Just sliding down on your butt is enough to enjoy the magic of the Sand Dunes. It's an incredible place that left me speechless countless times during the adventure.

Conclusion

If you've been considering going to the Sand Dunes, but have pushed it off for any reason like "its a long drive" or "I'm not so sure its worth the detour on our road trip." Then trust me...it's totally worth it! Did I mention you don't need to reserve a time to enter like other popular national parks now require? The Great Sand Dunes truly feel like another planet that magically landed itself in Colorado. This national park is an underrated gem! I can only imagine what fun this would be to bring little kids along for. So, you must go to witness the miracle that the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is for yourself!

Me puffing my inhaler at the top Me posing next to the park sign:)

Let me know what you thought of this post, and comment down below if you've been to the Sand Dunes before! I hope you enjoyed hearing about my experience. Thank you for reading!