Parks / Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve · CO
The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Stay on a moonless night to experience countless stars in this International Dark Sky Park! Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round. There are no timed entries or reservations to visit.
Official NPS page →Current Alerts (4)
Great Sand Dunes Currently at Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
As of August 18th, Great Sand Dunes is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. All wood and charcoal fires must be in established fire rings in designated campsites or picnic sites. No other open fires are allowed. Fires MUST BE put out COLD before leaving your site and must not be left unattended. camp stoves and other pressurized gas devices allowed.
Speed Limits are Much Lower Inside Park than Surrounding Highways
Speed limits for the park include 30 MPH near the park boundary and Great Sand Dunes Sign, and as low as 10 MPH near the Headquarters and Entrance Station. Speed limits are in place to protect park visitors, pedestrians, and wildlife in the park. Please drive carefully and responsibly.
Sand Board and Sand Sled Rentals Not Available In Park.
Sand boarding and sand sled rentals are located in local communities surrounding the park. Visitors are encouraged to arrange rentals BEFORE coming to the park.
Piñon Flats Campground, sites can be reserved 3 months in advance for 2026
Due to the need for improvements in Piñon Flats Campground, sites can be reserved 3 months in advance beginning in 2026.
Entrance Fees
Visitors will be charged only one of the following fees. Entrance fees are charged only when the Entrance Station is open. Entrance passes may also be purchased in advance through recreation.gov .
Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass If you visit Great Sand Dunes more than once in a year, consider purchasing an annual pass to save money. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass admits the pass holder(s) and all family members in the vehicle into the park for one year from date of purchase. Interagency national passes are also available at the Entrance Station.
Campgrounds (3)
Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or Forest
The most popular and unique backpacking option is camping in the 30-square-mile dunefield, beyond the major dune ridgeline (about 1.5 mile hike minimum over dunes). Enjoy wide open views of the starry sky or a bright moonlit night. Designated sites are also available in the trees of the foothills, or camping is available in higher forests of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. Reserve national park backpacking permits for the dunes or foothills through recreation.gov
Details →Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
Roadside camping is permitted at 21 campsites in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve beginning 5.2 miles from where the road begins near Piñon Flats Campground. These designated sites are free of charge and first-come, first-served. All 21 sites fill on summer weekends. Passable only in the warmer months and only with high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. This road crosses areas of deep sand, traverses Medano Creek nine times, and passes through excellent habitat for bighorn sheep.
Details →Piñon Flats Campground
Piñon Flats is a National Park Service campground located one mile north of the Visitor Center, open April through October. All sites are by reservation on recreation.gov. Beginning in the 2026 season, Individual and group sites can be reserved up to 3 months in advance.
Details →Upcoming Events
AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk
Aug 31, 2026 · Programs take place on visitor center rear porch, front lobby, or in auditorium. See bulletin board for topics and locations within visitor center.
8:00 pm Amphitheater Evening Program
Sep 5, 2026
Things to Do
4WD Medano Pass Primitive Road
Drive a a 4WD around the eastern edge of the dunes then over a forested mountain pass. Be prepared for soft sand, creek crossings, and rocky terrain.
Experience the Night
Half the park is after dark! Night at Great Sand Dunes can include dunes exploration under a bright full moon, viewing thousands of stars on a clear moonless night, listening for owls along the foothills, or observing migrating amphibians on a wet night.
Explore the Dunes
Explore the tallest dunes in North America! The centerpiece of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is the 30-square-mile (78-square-km) dunefield, featuring the tallest dunes in North America. Because there are no trails, you can venture out anywhere you'd like to discover unusual insects, plants, wildlife tracks, ripples, and sand grains of every color.
Hike Medano Lake and Mount Herard
Take your 4WD vehicle around the dunes and up to Medano Pass, hike to a small alpine lake, then continue to the summit of 13,297 ft (4,053 m) Mount Herard for an aerial perspective on the entire dunefield! This is a physically demanding but incredibly rewarding way to experience many of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve's ecoystems, from desert dunes to alpine tundra. Watch the high-energy 40-second video to get a glimpse of this unique experience!
Hike Montville Nature Trail or Mosca Pass Trail
Just above the dunefield are montane woodlands of pinon and ponderosa pine, subalpine aspen and conifer forests, alpine lakes and rugged mountains over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation. The easiest access to forest in the national park is on the Montville Nature Trail and Mosca Pass Trail.
Hike Sand Creek Lakes
Sand Creek Lakes are part of the alpine watershed of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. A longer drive and hike is required to reach these lakes, but the mountain scenery is worth the effort. Check with a ranger for conditions before travel. Snow may block these trails from November into June.
Sandboarding and Sand Sledding
Sandboarding and sand sledding are the most popular activities on the dunes. Read the information on this page to have a positive, fun, and safe experience.
Splash in Medano Creek
Medano Creek is a popular seasonal stream enjoyed by all ages.
Visitor Centers
- Entrance Station
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
Webcams
Source: National Park Service.