Photo: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The tallest dunes in North America pile up against the 13,000-foot Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and you can wander anywhere you like on them. There are no trails on the sand, just ridgelines, footprints and wind. One full day covers the dunes and the creek; add a second for the mountain trails and lakes. Late May and June bring Medano Creek's spring flow across the base of the dunes. In summer the sand can reach 150°F in the afternoon, so climb at sunrise or in the evening.
TRAILS
1 OF 6
High Dune on First Ridge
Difficulty
Hard
Length
2.5 mi
Elevation gain
700 ft
Dunefield · Dunes Parking Lot — Pick a ridgeline and climb. There's no set path, but staying on the crests is easier than slogging straight up the soft faces. From the top you see the whole dunefield rolling back toward the mountains. Expect two hours or more, and run down the slip face on the way back.
⚠︎ Sand can reach 150°F on summer afternoons. Get off the dunes if you hear thunder.
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 6
Star Dune
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
6 mi
Elevation gain
750 ft
Dunefield · Dunes Parking Lot — The tallest dune in North America, about 740 feet from base to summit. The easiest approach follows the Medano Creek bed south for about two miles before you turn into the sand and climb. It takes most of a day, and the views at the top are wild and empty. Carry lots of water.
⚠︎ Start early. No shade and no water on the dunes.
Photo: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 6
Medano Creek
Difficulty
Easy
Length
As far as you like
Elevation gain
Flat
Dunefield · Dunes Parking Lot — In spring, snowmelt sends a wide, shallow creek across the base of the dunes, with little surges of water that pulse along like waves on a beach. Kids splash, people float on tubes, and the mountains rise behind it all. It's at its best from late May into June. By midsummer it often shrinks or dries up.
⚠︎ Seasonal. Flow varies with snowpack; check nps.gov/grsa for current conditions.
Photo: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 6
Mosca Pass
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
7 mi
Elevation gain
1,400 ft
Mountains · Montville trailhead — A shady climb along a small creek through aspen and evergreen forest to a low pass in the Sangre de Cristos. The views at the top are limited, but the forest is a cool break on a hot day and gorgeous when the aspens turn in fall. It follows an old route used by Native Americans and early settlers.
Photo: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 6
Montville Nature Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
0.5 mi loop
Elevation gain
200 ft
Mountains · Montville trailhead — A short loop along Mosca Creek with a framed view of the dunes from the top. Signs explain the area's history and plants. It's a quick, shady leg-stretcher near the visitor center, and a good choice when the sand is too hot.
Photo: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 6
Medano Lake
Difficulty
Hard
Length
7.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,000 ft
Preserve · Medano Lake trailhead — A climb through spruce and fir to an alpine lake under Mount Herard, with marmots, bighorn sheep and a view of a completely different side of the park. Strong hikers can continue to the summit of Herard for a bird's-eye look down on the dunes. The trailhead sits at about 10,000 feet.
⚠︎ The trailhead is on the Medano Pass Primitive Road, which needs a high-clearance 4WD. Usually snow-free from July to September.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Great Sand Dunes trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.