Be sure to check out our Southern Colorado 10 day itinerary (coming soon). It includes all of the best things to do in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Southern Colorado!
*Last updated July 11, 2024
Best Things to Do in Great Sand Dunes National Park
How Long to Spend at Great Sand Dunes National Park
You could spend a few hours between the visitor center and the base of the dunes if you are driving through. However, I’d try to spend a night in the area to see the sunset and sunrise on the dunes. Additionally, I’d want to spend at least half a day playing in the sand, hiking, sledding, boarding or just exploring the dunes. If you have more time, I think it would be great to spend a few days here.
The Best Month to Visit Great Sand Dunes National Park
The best time to visit Great Sand Dunes is either late spring, early summer or early fall. If visiting while Medano Creek is running, visit in May through early June. If not, then September is a good month for mild weather and avoiding the crowds. July and August can be hot, so if you visit in the summer, be sure to go early in the day before the dunes get really hot.
About Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park is home to the largest sand dunes in North America! The Great Sands Dunes were designated as a national monument in 1932 and became a national park in 2004.
When you arrive to Great Sand Dunes, be sure to stop in the visitor center if you arriving when it opens. You can learn about the surrounding land and ecosystems of the park. Also, if you have kids, they offer the junior ranger program, which our kids always enjoy.
Medano Creek
Medano Creek is the formed from the snow runoff of the nearby mountains. Also, this means that the creek is usually only present around the dunes from spring through early summer. By July, the creek will be mostly gone around the dunes.
However, if you go when the creek is flowing, the kids will enjoy playing in it and cooling off from the heat of the sand dunes.
Also, if you go when the creek is flowing, you will be required to pass through the creek to get to the sand dunes from the parking lot.
Sand Sledding and Sand Boarding
Sand Sledding and Sand Boarding are a lot of fun! We rented a board and two sleds from the Oasis campground. The younger kids enjoyed sledding and so did the older kids and adults.
I didn’t have any problems boarding either, but I’m a skier so I have pretty good balance. It is a little different and we did see some other people wipe out pretty good attempting the sand boarding.
Hiking the Dunes
There are a few dunes that you can hike to, but the most popular is High Dune on First Ridge. It is not the highest dune, that would be Hidden Dune (which is the tallest sand dune North America). However, High Dune is easily accessible and offers views over the dune field.
To access High Dune, park in the Great Sand Dunes parking lot (just past the visitor center) and start hiking up towards the tall dune in front of you. It is slow hiking through the sand, so plan for 2-4 hours roundtrip depending on your pace. Also, be sure to wear shoes as the sand can heat up substantially during the day.
Medano Pass off-road Driving
Like much of Colorado, there are 4×4 trails you can drive if equipped with a proper vehicle. Medano Pass is a 4×4 unpaved road past the Great Sand Dunes parking lot. Without a high clearance 4×4, you can drive to the point of no return.
Camping
Inside the park, there is Piñon Flats campground, which has rustic sites with no RV hookups. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance. If Piñon Flats is full or you are looking for RV hookup sites, we stayed at the Great Sand Dunes Oasis, which is just outside of the park and has great views of the Great Sand Dunes. For a list of other nearby campgrounds, you can visit this NPS site.
Zapata Falls
We did not hike the Zapata Falls trail, but it is a popular trail just outside of the park. We did not do this particular trail as we had young children and in order to see the waterfall, you have to wade through ice cold water to see the waterfall.
Nearby Areas
We stopped at Great Sand Dunes on our way to Durango. Also, from Durango we took the Narrow Gauge Train and also visited Mesa Verde National Park. Additionally, be sure to check out these other sights in the Rocky Mountain Region!
Next time
Next time, I’d definitely look to spend a couple of days so that we could hike to the top of High Dune and hike to Zapata Falls. Additionally, Great Sand Dunes is a “dark sky” site and they have ranger guided night hikes, which would be fun. Unfortunately, while we were there it was a full moon so that is too bright for dark sky seeing.