The Great Sand Dunes National Park is located in Alamosa, CO and is worth the trip! Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an American national park that conserves an area of large sand dunes. The Great Sand Dunes were formed over thousands of years as sand deposited by mountain streams and playa lakes on the San Luis Valley floor were carried in the form of small dunes by predominant southwest winds toward a low curve in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The park was originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument on March 17, 1932, by President Herbert Hoover. In the spring and summer, the Medano Creek runs through the front of the dunes and you will have to walk through it to get there. The creek is usually only a few inches deep and can feel nice on a hot day!

The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America rising to a maximum height of 750 feet. We went for a visit in late August and the sand was so soft and enjoyable to walk on. We kicked our shoes off right away and walk barefoot the entire time. The kids LOVED it and were running up and down the dunes happily.

Worth the trip but with kids, we only lasted about 2 hours there. It is a lot of walking and walking in sand can be more tiring so be prepared! If you aren’t up for walking out to the dunes, they are still enjoyable to look at from afar. In fact, the first few times we went to visit, we only walked about 5 minutes but still enjoyed the trip and got amazing photos! The sand is fun for small kids to play with and that alone can keep them busy and having a good time!

We usually partner this visit with the trip to the Alligator Farm which will be my next post!

For more information on The Great Sand Dunes: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm.