UNITED STATES | Colorado Springs, Colorado Travel Guide
Monday, December 15, 2025
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* Great Sand Dunes National Monument
11500 Highway 150 ,
Mosca
Colorado
USA
81146
719-378-2312
Type: National Park
Comments ( 0 )
Rating (0 Votes)
Mosca
Colorado
USA
81146
719-378-2312
Type: National Park
Comments ( 0 )
Rating (0 Votes)
WOW. While researching our trip I came upon this site in the National Parks guide. Then I read some excellent reviews at Trip Advisor and we decided to make this our campsite. (see below for campsite info) First of all, you start to see the dunes from 50-75 miles away. They look like a beige stripe at the base of the Sangre de Christo mountains as you drive along the valley in any direction. We came in from Rte 17 having followed 24 out of Colorado Springs-which is a great drive in itself. When we arrived it was midday and we decided to set up camp before going to the dunes. We got there around 2 pm and went to the visitor's center first. Here is another excellent NPS (National Park Service) bookstore and gift shop as well as educational and fun interactive displays.
Our son did everything before he was ready to go out to the dunes. I have seen warnings that things look closer than they are and PLEASE take them seriously. When you leave the visitor's center or any other entrance to the dunes you will have a significant hike across a flat expanse of sand. THEN you get to the dunes. Since our son is 10 he spent much of his time rolling and trying to slide down the dunes. He tried a plastic raincoat and piece of cardboard for sliding but neither worked very well and we were sorry we had not stopped to buy a plastic sled that we heard are sold at the gas station near the entrance. Be careful, when a wind blows the sand can sting and it WILL get into everything. Your shoes should be full before you even get to the dunes but any cameras or other equipment that does not work well with sand in it should be kept covered (ziploc bags work well). We only got about 1/3 of the way up the tallest dune before that afternoon's thunderstorm rode in so, we made our way back to the entrance but had we started earlier, we would have been able to hike all the way.
Take water and pace yourself. In any case, the views are great from anywhere and there is something very cool about standing on 750' high SAND dunes where there never was a beach! (The sand was created by the breakdown of the San Juan mountains, to the west, blowing across the valley floor) Oh,if you do not enter from the visitor's center but from the parking lot, the walk to the dunes is not as long and there are showers for getting the kids clean.
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