Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
National park · CO, USA
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in CO, USA. Operated by National Park Service.
Usual hours
- Mon–Sun 0:00–0:00
About
This park's official page lists: Wheelchair-accessible facilities, Pet-friendly (leashed).
Entrance / day-use fee applies.
This park's official page lists: Restrooms, Visitor center.
Official facts
Public access: Open access.
Protected area: 104,902 acres (42,452 ha).
Designation: National Park. Listed as "Great Sand Dunes National Park" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity (GAP 2). IUCN category II.
Managed by: NPS.
At the park
- Visitor center
- Camping
- Hunting
- Sandboarding
- Winter sports
- Beaches
- Stargazing
- Wildlife & bird watching
- Hiking trails
Events
- Junior Ranger Program
- AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk
- PM Visitor Center Ranger Talk
- 8:00 pm Amphitheater Evening Program
- Hispanic Culture of San Luis Valley
- 7:30 pm Amphitheater Evening Program
Before you go
- Mobility
- Available in the park: mobility & stroller rentals. Confirm rental availability and pricing with the park.
- Disability access
- This park's official page states it has wheelchair-accessible facilities. Specific routes, transfer access and equipment vary — confirm with the park for your needs.
- Limits
- Pets are no longer permitted in the national park backcountry;
- Limits
- You may take a street-licensed, high-clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road , which goes around the eastern edge of the dunes then over a 10,000' mountain pass
- ⚠ Caution: Creek Crossings on Medano Pass Primitive Road Have Deep and Swift Water
- The park weather station measured 1.5 inches of rain overnight on 10/23/2026. Medano Creek is currently flowing at 28 cubic feet per second. These conditions have resulted in many of the 9 creek crossings on this 4WD only road to have swift moving water that is 3 or more feet deep on some of these crossings. Extreme caution is advised. NOTE this does not affect access to the Main Dunes Parking or Pinon Flats Campground, or Visitor Center areas of the park.
- ⚠ Caution: 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.
- Park alert: 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.
- Park alert: 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.
- Park alert: 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.
- Getting there
- To access the main park area, including the Dunes Parking Lot, Visitor Center, and Pinon Flats Campground, take US 160 to CO 150 from the south, or CO 17 to Lane 6 to CO 150 from the west. The national park is at the north end of CO 150.
- Weather & when to go
- Temperatures are relatively cool all year at the park elevation 8000 ft. Conditions are most often calm, but winds can arise, especially in spring and during storm fronts. Daytime temperatures feel warmer here year round due to intense high-altitude sunlight, and mid-day summer sand surface temps can be 160 degrees F! Plan to explore the dunes morning or evening during summer. Nights are cool in summer, and frigid in winter. Visit https://nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/weather.htm for details
- Visitor center
- Entrance Station
- Visitor center
- Entrance Station
- Visitor center
- Entrance Station
- Visitor center
- Entrance Station — The Entrance Station is most days in the busy season from May through September, and intermittent hours at other times of year. Hours may vary each day. Call the Fee Manager at 719-378-6352 for hours on the day you plan to visit.
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
- Visitor center
- Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center — Current visitor center hours are 9-4:30 daily throughout the year. Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. — From CO Highway 160: Between the towns of Alamosa, CO, and Blanca, CO, there will be large brown signs marking the turn off to the park. Turn north on CO State Highway 150. Drive straight (north) for 15 miles to the entrance of the park. From CO Highway 17: Near the town of Mosca, CO, turn onto County Road Lane 6N. At the end of the road, turn left (north) onto CO State Highway 150. This highway…
- Visitor center
- The Dunefield
Facilities on the park map
2 bench, 2 changing table, 2 mobility rental, 4 picnic area, 13 restroom, 11 visitor information, 4 water fountain.
Where to stay
- Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or Forest
- Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
- Piñon Flats Campground