Mosca, Colorado.

In our Colorado travels, we often passed Great Sand Dunes National Park on our way to other places. On our last trip through, however, we made it a point to allow for a stop at the park. Located in southern Colorado, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is known for its towering sand dunes, like the 750-foot-tall Star Dune, and for the seasonal Medano Creek that creates a beach at the base of the dunes. Behind the dunes, the park also includes the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with trails leading to forests, wetlands, and alpine lakes. We didn’t explore much beyond the dunes, but a drive into the mountains is another feature for those inclined to explore the park further.

There is a long walk from the parking area to the edge of the dunes, but plenty of placards describe the dunes and how they were created near the parking area. Star Dune is about 750 feet (228 m) tall and is a popular destination. The distance from the parking lot to the base of Star Dune is roughly 0.5 miles (about 800 meters), but the climb itself can be challenging due to the loose sand. We decided to stop our hike at the edge of the dunes. We hadn’t been prepared for climbing the sandy dunes. We noticed plenty of visitors on this day equipped with appropriate gear, including sleds for sliding down the dunes. Many families were preparing to leave and removing sand from shoes and clothes before getting in their cars.

Another popular spot, Hidden Dune, is slightly shorter than Star Dune but offers a more secluded experience. The distance from the parking lot to Hidden Dune is about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers), and the hike involves navigating through the dunes, something we decided not to accomplish. Walking uphill on shifting sand is tiring, and it’s wise to bring plenty of water on hot days.

As we approached the edge of the dunes, we could see people in various stages of climbing and descending on their trip through them. Near the visitor center, a couple of public telescopes were provided for those who wanted a closer view.

For those who don’t have a long telephoto lens or a camera to use with one, it is possible to put your cell phone camera lens close to the telescope eyepiece and move the phone slightly to obtain the best view on your phone before taking a photo. Be careful not to scratch the lens of your phone while trying this technique. You don’t need the camera to touch the eyepiece. Here’s an image captured with this technique. If you don’t like the round photo mask, use your phone’s cropping software to crop the image to a square or rectangle and eliminate the dark area around the image.

From the entrance, you can proceed to the parking lot at the dunes or, if the creek is not dry as it was when we visited, continue on to Medano Creek. You can also continue on the road that leads through the Sangre de Christo Mountains, another park feature. More information about the park and planning a trip can be found on the National Park’s website here.

I posted several more photos in 2K HD on my Flickr album here. Don’t make the same mistake we did and drive by the entrance on the many times we traveled the highway between Colorado and New Mexico.

John Steiner