The Tallest Sand Dunes in North America Have a Seasonal ‘Seaside’—What to Know

Positioned in southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley, Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park & Protect is residence to North America’s tallest sand dunes. These dunes, which rise abruptly from the shadow of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, are shaped by the interaction of winds funneling via mountain passes and the continued recycling of sand by way of wind. Whereas the star sights, Hidden Dune and Star Dune, tower roughly 750 ft above the valley ground, one of many park’s extraordinary options is Medano Creek, a seasonal stream that emerges in spring and early summer season.

Fed by snowmelt, Medano Creek—known as Colorado’s Pure seashore—flows on the dunes’ base, making a shallow, inland beach-like playground the place guests can splash, float on tubes, and construct sandcastles. The movement usually begins in late April and peaks by early June, with water depths reaching ankle to calf degree—usually round 20 inches—earlier than drying out throughout mid-summer.

Guests flock to the dunes when the creek is in bloom in addition to for exhilarating actions akin to sandboarding, sledding, and dune climbing. It’s value noting that, on heat days, sand floor temps can soar to 150 levels, so climbing sneakers or socks are a should.

The very best time to go to the park is in spring and early summer season, when daytime temperatures are gentle and Medano Creek flows with cool, refreshing water. Because the park is designated an Worldwide Darkish Sky Park, the dunes additionally supply remarkably clear evening skies for stargazing.

Earlier than planning your go to, make sure you verify the real-time movement of Medano Creek, out there from spring via fall, by way of a web based graph that tracks the creek’s quantity in cubic ft per second (cfs). Whereas the info is collected about 5 miles upstream from the primary Dunes Parking Space, it provides a helpful snapshot of present situations and whether or not water ranges are rising or falling. This yr, movement ranges aren’t anticipated to high 20 cfs, which is a reminder to plan your go to accordingly.

The park is well-equipped for guests, with dune-rover wheelchairs, handy dune showers, and the Piñon Flats Campground. Households can take part in a wide range of packages, together with the Nationwide Park Service’s Junior Ranger program and Household Archaeology Days.

For a novel place to remain close to the dunes, take into account Dunes Desert Camp. This eco-luxury glamping website has simply two spacious safari tents, providing a personal and immersive expertise in nature. Company can go for customizable meals and actions via the camp’s Dune Experiences program. For a extra conventional keep, Nice Sand Dunes Lodge gives a wide range of customary room varieties, in addition to campers and geodesic domes.