Great Sand Dunes National Park is exactly what it sounds like: a national park with giant sand dunes. What’s cool about these dunes is that they are next to the mountains. You can also explore the 30 square mile dune field by hiking through the dunes!
Hiking
There are actually quite a few trails in Great Sand Dunes National Park, but we tend to stick to the dune field. There are no trails in the dunes. You can explore any part of the dune field on foot.
Hiking the Dunes
Probably the most popular hiking experience in the park is hiking on the dunes. We’ve done it twice. On our first visit, we were limited on time and visited the park in the middle of the day, so we tried to hike the dunes mid-day in the summer, which I wouldn’t do again. I wore sandals and the sand was so hot, it felt like it was burning my feet whenever it got into my sandals (which happened with just about every step).
On our second visit, we were camping inside the park, so we hiked closer to sunset. The heat wasn’t a problem, but it was very windy at the time, and the blowing sand hurt as it hit our exposed skin. I also wore water shoes, thinking this would be an improvement over sandals, but they actually started filling up with sand, and I had to stop periodically to empty them out.
We’re still learning do’s and don’ts with each visit, but it was a fun experience both times. I’m sure we’ll be back again. It’s always an adventure out in the dunes! More information can be found at the Great Sand Dunes National Park website here: Hiking – Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
Zapata Falls
- Quick Facts
- Length: Approx. 1 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 200 feet
- Trailhead: Parking lot about 3 miles east of Hwy 150 (sign for Zapata Falls on Hwy 150)
- Link to Zapata Falls page on Alamosa, CO website
Although this hike is outside the park, it is worth a stop on your visit! It’s a fairly short hike to a waterfall inside of a cave. The climb is fairly steep, but the views of the dunes are incredible and seeing the waterfall up close is amazing!
If you want to see the waterfall, you will need to walk through water. We visited in June and the water was incredibly cold. We wore water shoes, which were perfect for this hike. At the time of our visit, the water was between shin and knee deep, and it was often flowing fast over slick rocks, so be sure to watch your step.
Camping
We camped inside the park at Pinon Flats Campground. The campground does not have hookups, but we camped in our 20-foot travel trailer. A lot of the sites would not be able to fit a large camper, so be sure to pay close attention to the site descriptions when booking, if you do need a larger/flatter site. We had a great view of the dunes from our site!
If you’d like to read more about the solar/battery set up for our camper, check out the blog post: Camping Off Grid: Solar and Battery Upgrade – Miles of Yellow Lines.