Planning a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Information
Contact Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, 11999 Colo. 150, Mosca, CO 81146 (tel. 719/378-6300; www.nps.gov/grsa).
For information on other area attractions, lodging, and dining, contact the Alamosa Convention & Visitors Bureau, 601 State Ave., Alamosa, CO 81101, at the corner of State Avenue and U.S. 160 (tel. 800/258-7597 or 719/589-4840; www.alamosa.org). Note: For some reason, the folks in Alamosa use the names State Avenue and State Street interchangeably, but it's the same road.
This building, a restored historic train depot, also houses a Colorado Welcome Center, open daily 8am to 6pm in summer, 8am to 5pm the rest of the year. Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Also in the depot is the ticket booth for the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad.
Visitor Center
The park visitor center (tel. 719/378-6399) has exhibits on dune formation and life in the dunes, a bookstore, and a short video that shows throughout the day. It's open daily year-round, except for federal holidays. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, hours are 8:30am to 6:30pm; the rest of the year hours are 9am to 4:30pm.
Fees & Permits
Admission to the park for up to 7 days costs $3 per person, free for children under 16. Camping costs $20 per night.
If you are planning to explore the backcountry, you'll need a free backcountry permit, which is available at the visitor center.
Special Regulations & Warnings
Although summer air temperatures are pleasant, sand temperatures can soar to 140°F (60°C), so park officials strongly advise that shoes be worn when hiking in the dunes. Also, summer thunderstorms are fairly common. Hikers are advised to leave the dunes quickly when lightning threatens, to avoid the chance of being struck.
Elevations range from 7,515 feet to 13,604 feet, so those from low elevations are warned that they should take it easy until they have adapted and drink plenty of water to avoid altitude sickness, which causes shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea.
Pets are permitted throughout the park and preserve but must be leashed, and officials ask that owners clean up after their pets. They also warn that the sand in the dunes can be hot and will burn the pads on dogs' feet, so they suggest dune hiking with pets early or late in the day, when the sand is cooler.
When to Go
Pleasant summers and cool to cold winters are the rule here. Daytime summer temperatures average 70° to 80°F (21°-27°C), with nighttime lows often dropping into the 40s and low 50s (single digits and 10s Celsius). Thunderstorms are common in July and August. High winds can be expected at any time and are often especially ferocious from April through early June, when northeast winds have been clocked at over 90 mph. From fall through spring, expect moderate daytime temperatures; winter days can see daytime temperatures in the 40s (single digits Celsius), but winter nights are usually below freezing and often below zero. Snowfall averages a bit over 3 feet annually, with March being the snowiest month.
Avoiding the Crowds
Overcrowding has not been a major problem at Great Sand Dunes. In recent years, the park has received fewer than 300,000 visitors annually, compared to almost 3 million at Rocky Mountain National Park, just a half-day's drive north. But national park status and the additional acreage and attractions have been producing an increase in visitation. Therefore, we suggest that you try to visit at times other than school vacations and holiday weekends. Early fall can be especially pleasant here. Memorial Day weekend is particularly busy, with limited parking and traffic congestion. If you do happen to visit on a busy day, a hike along Sand Ramp Trail usually gets you away from the crowds.
Getting There
From Alamosa, two main routes lead to Great Sand Dunes. Go east 14 miles on U.S. 160, then north on Colo. 150; or drive north 14 miles on Colo. 17 to Mosca, then east on Six Mile Lane to the junction of Colo. 150.
The Nearest Airports -- The San Luis Valley Regional Airport, 2500 State Ave. (tel. 719/589-4848; www.alamosacounty.org), 3 miles off U.S. 285 South, has service to and from Denver on Great Lakes Airlines (www.greatlakesav.com). Car rentals are available at the airport from Budget and Hertz.
Getting Around
Although you will use your vehicle to get to the visitor center, the dunes, and a few spots where you'll get good views, the Great Sand Dunes environment is best explored on foot or in a special wheelchair.
