Found out about this place by accident. What a cool way to spend a few hours climbing the dunes. Was really windy when I was there and walking the dunes is quite the workout. Was jealous of the kids taking the fun way down on sleds, looked like quite the exciting time.
Incredible natural spectacle that you can experience completely freely. A must do for us!
It's super fun and a great stop on a long road trip, but don't plan on renting sand boards at the Oasis store at the entrance.
Beautiful views not too crowded and the kids loved it! Went when I was little and went with my little ones year ago and loved it just as much as I did when I was a kid
Such a fun place! Bring bug repellent the insects are thick in the summer. There is not alot of parking as you wind up the road. 4 x4 vehicle is a must to get close to the dunes.
Do not attempt the sandy roads if you are not a raised 4x4 vehicle. You will get stuck.
Probably great for younger folks. Not much for senior citizens.
Well worth going out of your way to see. An awesome experience.
One of my favorite places to visit in colorado. So many things to do and it really never seems to be that crowed. The camp grounds fill fast. The sand gets very hot in the mid day sun in the summer, so much it will burn your feet. Besure to have shoes and socks with you when you hike the dunes. If you want to sled the dunes in the summer the cheap thin long sleds that Wal-Mart sales works the best.
Gorgeous, challenging, and super cool. It's so cool because it seems so out of place. Make sure you hike to the top of one or the dunes, the views are like nothing I've seen. Rent sand boards, you won't regret it.
A very fun visit! We're lucky to visit while the river was near peak and the hike up to the top, while a bit difficult since called out packs and boards, was well worth it one we reached the peak.
The trip down on the board was a blast!
Beautiful location, nice weather and a interesting visitor center.
Most beautiful display of diversity by Mother Nature!
The biggest sandbox you could ever imagine! So. Much. Sand. You will find sand in random things for days to come afterwards, but that's the fun of it! I love watching sunsets and sunrises from atop the dunes, as well as watching the stars come out. Keep in mind it's a lot harder to climb them than you might think, and it's also a lot further to the top than it looks. Surf or roll down the sides like the child you are deep down, and enjoy the spectacles of nature. Also, don't forget about the mountain side! Lots of hiking. Also Zapata falls. Have fun!!
Totally worth waiting in line (only 2.5 miles long)! Completely beautiful and epic
It was so beautiful we hiked the dunes and the view was amazing!
Amazing park! We went during the winter so no stream going through, but the views are fantastic! Quite a workout to climb up and down the dunes as well! Dogs are allowed in this national park so our pups had a blast! It s a wide open so you can explore any and all parts of the park which we really enjoyed! Can t wait to go back again in the summer!
Breathtaking and serious fun, but make sure you hydrate! Better to wear shoes by late morning as the sand heats up quickly in the summer
Whod'a though sand dunes could be this interesting and that big. Well they are, and worth a visit, even if you only hike halfway up, you really get a perspective how powerful geologic and weather forces can be.
camped on the roadside of primitive road, amazing! Lots of fun driving and hiking.
High dune is super to take pictures
This is a must-experience in Colorado. You definitely need to be prepared for high wind. Wind proof jacket WITH A HOODIE, water sandles with back stripe. You have to cross an ice cold creek to reach the Dunes. long sleeves and long pants are recommended, because it hurts when the sand hits you hard. Take some kinda covering for your phone, the sand goes everywhere in the openings. Make yourself and all your belongings well covered. Girls, wear your hair up and and secured. DO NOT WEAR IT LOSE. This is a hard hike, slopes are very high plus the high wind makes it worse. But it is so fun at the end. Rent some sand sleds from Alamosa (30mins before Dunes) or from the park entrance. Some places need the sleds back at 4pm. Check on that too. There are changing shelters and showers down the Dunes. If you are planning to do something else on rest of the day, you need to be changed. You come down very messy and sandy. DO NOT WEAR SOCKS UNLESS YOU WANT TO THROW IT AWAY AFTER USE.
The Great Sand Dunes is something you'll never forget, especially the soft and extremely fine sand which completely covers the dunes, if you want to view the running streams and creeks, then I suggest you plan your trip between late May to early June. (Mid-June at the latest) I've also noticed that they've raised their prices from $20 (2018) to $25 (2020) which is understandable due to having a reduced capacity from the pandemic. Sure it may be a 6 hour drive from Denver but it's definitely worth it in the end, I would also suggest you visit the UFO Watchtower which is also close to the Sand Dunes, I've had good experiences at the ufo watchtower especially when it comes to stargazing.
Awesome place. Crazy to think the large Sand Dunes are right there in the middle of Colorado! But if you come to the park you get to read about why they are there which is so cool!
A beautiful day today Earth Day ! To celebrate at the Great Sands Dunes National Park.
Amezing hiking trails!
Get there early before the heat. The entire family ( including the pups). Had such a great time. The area is clean. There are restrooms at the base. Will be going again.
Unique. Great informative video. Nice mostly shady trail to Mosca Pass.
went here as a kid, took my kids here and now grandkids. I know it is times of covid 19, but museum was closed, no park rangers at the dunes for kids to ask questions
Trash blowing all over the dunes.
We enjoyed our time here. It was so much fun and a wonderful stop before our trip back to Texas! So many helpful people as we thought we could send a sled onsite someone let our 10 year old use there's a few times! Go early and beat the heat and bring big spray!
A little out of the way, but definately worth the trip.
a nice place to visit and view the natural wonder but need a full day due to the long drive
The whole family loved it. From the creek to the dunes to the visitor's center A+.
A little far from everywhere but absolutely worth the drive here. A unique views you won't find anywhere in the US. The climb up the dunes was as challenging as any mountain.
beautiful, theres sand everywhereee what else would you want
Extremely beautiful, agonizingly windy. Make sure you pack well to hike
Amazing place , still can find soultuide in its mist. A great way to see mother nature in action. Breath taking to say the least.
A true natural wonder worth a visit if you're in Colorado, it's totally amazing and beautiful
Sand dunes, forests, rivers and mountains covered in snow, all at one place. Must visit place. Dont forget to get the sand skating board if your are hiking the dune.
A great place for a quick stop or a long day. I was traveling through Colorado to New Mexico and decided to make a quick stop. I am glad I did, I will be back.
Great place to visit. The sand dunes are a sight to see. I recommend bringing multiple bottles of water, a hat and some sunscreen. This place is like a giant sandbox for children, but I wouldn t recommend bringing an infant or child under 5 because it requires quite a bit of walking. Carrying a child through the dunes would put too much strain on a person.
Like another planet...the dunes we're amazing. Great visitor center and large campground.
BRING BUGS PRAY!!!!!! The sand dunes are absolutely Amazing, it is beautiful and fun for all ages however when you get to the parking lot and the stream you will be inundated by about 2.5 million mosquitoes and unfortunately I don't think the parks sprays for them so make sure you bring lots of bug spray for you and your little ones.
Really cool, I definitely recommend bring cardboard or a sled and a lunch. Make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. This place is really fun. If you ve got something to cover your nose and mouth from sand and your eyes, that s also super helpful. Costs $20 to get in unless you have a park pass
This place is a "hidden gem" of the National Park Service. We felt like we were in a seething desert when on the dunes. Until we turned around to see snow-capped mountains in the near distance to remind us that we were steps from a mountain range in Colorado. It's all a vast dramatic scenery; sublime.
Beautiful, large park! Facilities are good, there is an extensive visitors center. To access the dunes you might need to cross water and it s a 15 minute walk to get there. Up the dunes is quite a trip.
Just had to dig 3 feet to find water. Still had a blast
Don t sleep on this one. My kids (1, 8, 11, 12) loved it. It s so beautiful. They loved walking through the water to get to it, and they were able to climb and explore until they were pooped.
There were people with sleds going down the hills. If you can, definitely do that. It looked like a ton of fun.
I think it was like $25 per car to get in and that s not bad at all for the experience.
I never realized there were dunes this large in the Rocky Mountains.
There was not much to do there but walk around, but it was still pretty fun
Very amazing. Make sure and give yourself time to explore this! And do it in the morning before it gets hot in the summer! The sand gets very hot. Wear at least closed toed shoes and boots would be even better. Otherwise you get hot sand in everything.
The most amazing natural wonder I have ever seen. Add this to your bucket list
Loved the dunes! We could only stay for a limited time because there was a sandstorm. But overall, great experience
This place is always amazing to visit. The size and scope of the dunes are truly mind boggling.
This was an awesome place to visit for the day. I hiked up to the High Dune. It took about 3 hours round trip (up and down). Once you get to the top of one dune there's another one that's higher. It was a difficult hike, but well worth it. Do NOT go in the middle of the day in summer. I went in the morning around 9am on a nice cool day, but some people recommended to go earlier than that.
It was a unique fun experience for the whole family. Availability of a great workout climbing up the dunes repeatedly to sled down.
Hard to describe how epically big these dunes are. Definitely a bit of a challenge to hike, but well worth it for a view unlike anywhere else. And coming down is super fun!
Had a great time! We backpacked in to the backcountry a camped, truly unique experience!
Fun place to visit. Would definitely recommend if planning on hiking to the top, go around sunrise because it gets hot (and crowded) FAST after about 10am. Great views and hike is only moderately challenging.
We really enjoyed the camground in the late Summer early fall months, though small for motorhomes,it was really nice. Go off season for great opportunities for hiking, visitor center and solitude.
Beautiful landscape! Hard to believe Sand dunes in midst of the mountains. We did a climb to one of the dunes and it was challenging but totally worth it.
Please bring a swim suit to take an outside shower in after pla yuh ing on the dunes, also bring lots of water and sunscreen, and a towel to wipe your feet after walking through the river before the dunes so your should dont get wet. Absolute beautiful and a must see
Wonderful place. Good for kids. May end is the right time to play in burgess creek.
We arrived at the dunes at 5am and didn't have to pay and we got there before any of the lines or crowds. This absolutely the way to go! When we left around 11, the line was 2 miles long.
Bit off the beaten path but just a lovely place to visit.
The great sand dunes are so beautiful and oh man if you rent a sled it is very much worth the hike to slide down them! The view is also truly breathtaking.
Lots of of fun. Make sure to get there early as the sand gets above 100 degrees almost every day in the summer if the sun is shining.
Bring a tennis cap oh special shoes for the hot sand because it is very hot and a lot of water, but it is very beautiful
This was my first stop on my very first trip to Colorado. If you're coming from Texas via road do stop here. Sand is the prime attraction here. The way to this park is also very beautiful. You should spend around an hour here. Remember to check the temperature out before going.
Went on Sunday afternoon in September and had a great time. It was not too busy and the temperature was decent. I have gone to the dunes two other times and I will warn you that you want to bring plenty of water! Even if you plan on just being on the dunes for an hour or so you still want at least one bottle. I also advise you bring sunglasses due to that if the wind starts up it blows in your eyes and can grow frustrating and painful quickly.
The dunes themselves are really unique and quite phenomenon you can't experience except in person, I would recommend most anyone to visit them.
It s beautiful and a must see. But they charge like $20 for a wooden board and $25 for each car. It gets pricey. Bring a hat and a bandana because that sand gets EVERYWHERE.
Great place to visit and stay. Spring and fall are optimal times. A wondrous land where mountains meet sand dunes. Absolutely breathtaking.
Had a great time playing in the Creek and sand boarding down the dunes.
So nice people and such a beautiful place. I will totally go back. They have a cute little creek and you can go "sand surfing". I can't wait to go back.
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a great display of nature and families having fun.
