A Sandbox of Epic Proportions...
This past weekend I took a camping trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado (Alamosa, CO). I had always wanted to see this spectacular jaw dropping landscape up close and person. QUICK FACT: There are a total of 8 "jaw dropping" sand dunes in the continental United States. And Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado are the tallest in North America with some dunes towering over 700 feet. This National Park features 30 square miles of sand dunes that are nothing short of stunning amongst the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range. The highest elevation in the Park is 13,604 feet above sea level. If you're into the 14'er hikes, this area has the most 14'ers than any area is Colorado!
One thing I did not expect was the vast beach at the baes of the Dunes. I had never hiked up dunes before and this was quite an exertive thigh burning, butt tightening hike. You can literally "choose your own adventure" trekking up your chosen calf burning dune. Just running or walking along the beach is great exercise, but climbing sand dunes is a whole new level. The Dunes can be seen from a drive or from a nearby hike, but once you're there at the base, you realize the enormity and the optical illusion of the Dunes. The Dunes look like a picturesque painting from any angle and any level. It's hard to get your mind to grasp the reality of these gigantic sand dunes! They don't become real until you're sinking a foot into a climb and dropping half a foot down. They key is smaller steps and to try to place your foot in an already formed footprint from a previous hiker.
Due to the highly unique wind patterns of the San Luis Valley, these Dunes have been building and sifting for eons. You're at 8,200 feet in elevation from sea level at the base, so the star gazing at night is nothing short of spectacular. The sun set lasts forever (growing from feisty reds and oranges to pinks to light lavender) since the area is so vast and expansive. But, when the sun officially goes down over the mountain range, there is no light pollution anywhere around to inhibit the more amazing epic star-gazing. We saw the Milky Way, the Big Dipper and just a sliver of a moon while laying on our backs on a blanket and wind whipping through our hair (complete with some music and wine).
There is camping and backpacking available in the area. The camping is on a first come basis and the backpacking is available by permit only. Since we wanted to see the Dunes both at sunset and sunrise, we car camped by the Park. We trekked a smaller dune at sunset and then climbed a larger dune the next day. In my opinion, the best time to walk around in the sand is definitely at dusk. The golden hues and shadows dance across the dunes and the trekkers make lovely silhouettes along the ridges. However, during the day time, the landscape is straight out of a Star Wars scene. There is a place right up the street where you can rent sleds or boards. The sand boarding and sledding ensued both during the daylight and at night.
There are so many cool topographies and different ecosystems of this area! The park ranges from sand dunes to forests to cottonwood groves to majestic mountain peaks to tundra. I've provided some pics of our trip below!
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