Top Reasons to Go
- Dune climbing: Trek through the 30 square miles of main dunes in this landlocked dune field.
- Unrivaled diversity: You can see eight completely different life zones in this park, ranging from salty wetlands and lush forests to parched sand sheet and frozen alpine peaks, all in a single day.
- Starry skies: Gaze expansive views of the Milky Way staged above silouettes of the rolling dunes and jagged mountain peaks below.
- Aspens in autumn: Take a hike—or, if you've got a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle and good driving skills, take the rough road—up to Medano Pass during fall foliage season when the aspens turn gold.
- Vigorous hikes: Pack a picnic lunch and climb up to High Dune, followed by the more strenuous stretch over to Star Dune. Or tackle the dramatic Music Pass Trail, which rewards you with two alpine lakes above the tree line if you can make the steep 4-mile climb.
Guidebooks
Fodor's The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the USA: All 63 parks from Maine to American Samoa
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