Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

35 mi northeast of Alamosa via U.S. 160 and Rte. 150; 198 mi southwest of Colorado Springs.

Created by winds that sweep the San Luis Valley floor, the up-to-750-foot-high sand dunes that form the heart of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve are an improbable, unforgettable sight. The dunes, as curvaceous as Rubens's nudes, stretch for more than 30 square mi. The sand is fine and feathery, making the dunes' very existence seem tenuous, as if they might blow away before your eyes, yet they're solid enough to withstand the stress of hikers and saucer-riding thrill-seekers.

Timing

Even though only about 300,000 visitors come to the park each year, they tend to come in summer and congregate in one area, making the park crowded June through August. In fact, in peak season, the section of the dunes closest to the parking lots sounds a lot like a playground; if you visit in summer, hike away from the main area up to the High Dune. Fall and spring are the prettiest times to visit. In late May, the mountains are still capped with snow, ensuring a vivid contrast to the golden dunes. In September and early October, leaves on aspen trees are turning gold. In winter the park is a place for contemplation and repose, the silence broken only by passing birds and the faint rush of water from the Medano or Sand creeks.

Getting There & Around

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is about 230 mi from both Denver and Albuquerque, and about 170 mi from Colorado Springs and Santa Fe. The fastest route from the north is Interstate 25 south to U.S. 160, heading west to just past Blanca, to Highway 150 north. When traveling from Albuquerque, go north on Interstate 25, then merge with U.S. 285 at Santa Fe, going north to U.S. 160 to Highway 150. From the west, Highway 17 and County Lane 6 take you to the park.

The closest Amtrak train stop is in Trinidad, near the New Mexico border. Greyhound buses go to Alamosa and Blanca. Colorado Springs Airport is the largest in the south central Colorado area.

The park itself only has one road. It's about a mile from the tollbooth at the entrance to the visitor center and the Dunes Parking Lot is about a mile farther. There are no shuttle services.