Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- Location
- Colorado
- Designation
- National Park & Preserve
- Entrance fee
- $25 / vehicle
- Track it
- Free in Park'd
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.
Things to do in Great Sand Dunes
Great Sand Dunes offers a range of activities for visitors in Colorado:
When to visit & weather
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
Getting to Great Sand Dunes
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.
Track your visit to Great Sand Dunes
Check Great Sand Dunes off your national parks passport, log the trails you hiked and the wildlife you spotted, and see it on your personal map — free on iPhone with Park'd.
Explore more national parks
Planning a bigger trip? Browse the full list of all 63 US national parks, or keep exploring: