| Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve | |
|
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
|
|
  |
|
| Location | Saguache County & Alamosa County, Colorado, USA |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Alamosa |
| Coordinates | 37°43′58″N 105°30′44″W / 37.732870°N 105.512120°WCoordinates: 37°43′58″N 105°30′44″W / 37.732870°N 105.512120°W |
| Area | 84,670 acres (342.6 km2) |
| Established | September 13, 2004 |
| Visitors | 258,660 (in 2006) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park located in the easternmost parts of Alamosa County and Saguache County, Colorado, United States. Originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was created by an act of the United States Congress on September 13, 2004. The park contains approximately 85,000 acres (340 km², 130 mi²).
Contents |
The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising about 750 feet (230 m) from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, covering about 19,000 acres (77 km²). They are perhaps 12,000 years old.
The dunes were formed from sand and soil deposits of the Rio Grande and its tributaries, flowing through the San Luis Valley. Over the ages, westerly winds picked up sand particles from the river flood plain. As the wind lost power before crossing the Sangre de Cristo Range, the sand was deposited on the east edge of the valley. This process continues, and the dunes are slowly growing. The wind changes the shape of the dunes daily.
There are several streams flowing on the perimeter of the dunes. The streams erode the edge of the dune field, and sand is carried downstream. The water disappears into the ground, depositing sand on the surface. Winds pick up the deposits of sand, and blow them up onto the dune field once again.
Digging a few inches into the dunes even at their peaks reveals wet sand. If the streams were to dry up, the dunes would disappear; in fact part of the motivation of turning the Monument into a National Park was the extra protection of the water, which Colorado's cities and agriculture covet.
It is very easy to experience the dune-building process. This is a very windy region, as hikers on the Sand Dunes will attest, as on many days they will be pelted by sand and even small rocks when hiking on the dunes. The wind carries sand and rocks from many miles away.
The dunes contain areas of black sand which are deposits of magnetite, a crystalline black oxide of iron.
The park also contains alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000 feet (3,940 m) in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands — all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species.
One of the most unusual features of the park happens at Medano Creek, which borders the east side of the dunes and is located next to the Visitor Center and Bookstore. Because fresh sand continually falls in the creek, Medano Creek never finds a permanent and stable streambed. Small underwater sand dunes that act like dams continually form, and break down. So waders in the stream see surges—which look like waves—of water flowing downstream at intervals of just a few seconds to a minute or more. In a high-water year, these surges can be as much as a foot in height, resembling ocean waves. Building sand castles with the creek sand is a popular visitor activity.
Getting to the dunes requires walking across the wide and shallow Medano Creek, which flows only from spring to early summer. Hiking is permitted, with the warning that the sand can get hot in the summer, up to 140° Fahrenheit (60° Celsius). The area gets snow in the winter.
The closest city is Alamosa, though Canon City, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver and Albuquerque, New Mexico are within a few hours drive. The U.S. Post Office at Alamosa (ZIP Code 81101) serves the national park.[1]
The dunes and surrounding area were designated a National Monument in 1932. On November 22, 2000, United States President Bill Clinton signed the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000, aiming at ultimate national park status. With the help of the Nature Conservancy, the federal government purchased 97,000 acres (390 km2) of the Baca Ranch, which in effect tripled the size of the park. The purchase includes those sections of the ranch which previously bordered the park on the north and west sides and also included 14,165 feet (4,317 m) Kit Carson Mountain and 14,080 feet (4,292 m) subpeak Challenger Point, and the water drainages to the south. The land purchased was split into three sections. Part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains would be transferred to the Rio Grande National Forest, another section to the west would be set aside as a wildlife area and would host a wild bison herd and the last section to the east would be transferred from the Rio Grande National Forest and would be open to some hunting.
|
|||||||||||
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve [1] is a unit of the United States national park system located in the state of Colorado. In addition to the eponymous dunes, the park now includes attractive high country in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument was one of the many United States national parks and monuments created during the Great Depression (1932). In its original form it covered only the dunes themselves. However, it has expanded significantly since its roots, due in large part to concern among residents of nearby communities about the need to protect the watershed containing the dunes. Recent actions in 2000 and 2004 led first to the creation of a "preserve" adjoining the monument, and then to the designation of the combined monument/preserve as a full-fledged national park.
The park includes North America's tallest dunes, which rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The wind-shaped dunes glow beneath the rugged backdrop of the mountains. This geologic wonderland contains over 30 square miles of massive dunes, and also includes alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000' in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands--all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species.
In the summer, daytime air temperatures rarely reach 90 °F, with average temperatures in the 70s-80s °F. Summer nights are surprisingly cool thanks to the elevation of 8200' above sea level, with lows sometimes dropping into the 40s. Afternoon thundershowers are common in July and August with associated winds and lightning. Be prepared to leave the dunes promptly if thunderstorms threaten: lightning strikes are common and may be fatal.
Fall is generally mild, with Indian summer days. Highs average in the 60s - 70s °F, with chilly nights in the 20s - 30s °F. Be prepared, though, for the occasional cold fall storm, bringing icy rain or even snow.
Cold temperatures are the norm in winter, even though sunshine is generally abundant. The lowest temperature recorded at Great Sand Dunes was -25 deg;F in 1963. Average highs are in the 20s-40s °F, with lows averaging -5 to 15 deg;F. Snow may fall and high winds may occasionally occur, so bring warm, layered clothing and sturdy footwear.
Spring can bring high winds; March, April, and May winds are unstable and can be unusually strong. Temperatures can vary widely: highs may reach into the 60s °F, or only into the 30s °F with an even colder windchill. Lows can also vary from 0 deg;F to the 30s °F. March and April are the snowiest months of the year, but some days in spring can also be swimsuit weather.
The average annual precipitation is 11 inches including an average snowfall of 37 inches. Overall, precipitation increases in all directions as you leave the heart of the San Luis Valley. Yearly there are only 30-40 days when clouds obstruct the sun the majority of the day. The valley is known as the "Land of Cool Sunshine", and lives up to that name throughout most of the year.
Road access to Great Sand Dunes is limited by its position on the west side of the rugged Sangre de Cristos. It is most easily reached via a side road from Colorado SR 17 between Poncha Pass, at the north end of the Sangres, and the town of Alamosa to the south. Another access route is via US 160, which crosses a high pass through the Sangres between Alamosa and Walsenburg on Interstate 25, and then onto SR 150, reaching the same access road as the SR 17 route.
Great Sand Dunes is a long way from a major airport (Denver is about 150 miles away as the crow flies, considerably further as the car drives), but nearby Alamosa's airport [2] has regular commuter service to Denver on Great Lakes Airlines.
Entrance fees are $3.00 for each adult, with no charge for children 15 or younger. The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, available for $80, allows free access to all national park areas for one year. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Permit also allows free access to the park for one year and costs $15.00.
If you are going to be in the Crestone/BACA and Moffat area Windhorse Transportation is a great service that will give you great tours and is also a taxi service.
Good views of the dunes are available at the visitor center, just inside the entrance station. There are interpretive displays.
Hike. The dunes themselves are a very short distance from the visitor center, and you can reach them by simply following the obvious path. Once you're in the dunes, there are no marked trails; you simply wander among them until you've had your fill. (Either keep the visitor center in sight, or bring a compass.) You'll get sand in your shoes; dress accordingly and have a change of clothes, or at least shoes, waiting at the car. Trails into the high country are reachable from farther up the road, beyond the dunes.
A guidebook with details on numerous hikes in the area, as well as other activities, food, and lodging, is The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, ISBN 097244131X.
During spring and early summer, runoff from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains coalesces in a little creek that runs along the south side of the dunes, past the visitor center. Where Mosca Creek passes through the dunes, a remarkable beach-like atmosphere results that draws families doing precisely the things you'd expect at any other beach -- with the obvious exception of swimming, since the creek is only about six inches deep. You'll see picnics, small children wading in the creek (which is warmed by the sun), Frisbee tossing, maybe even a little beach volleyball. Come prepared to participate, and bring a change of clothing, particularly shoes; there is a changing room and rinse station near the visitor center to get the sand out of your clothes (and you) before you get back in the car. Flow in the creek is seasonal, and by the end of the summer there may not be enough water left for some of these activities.
AJ's Truck Stop is a truckerschoice.com truckstop. AJ's is family friendly and was formerly called My Sisters Place, for the two sisters who owned it before. It was bought out at the end of 2005 and renamed AJ's. AJ's has Brazen Cafe located within the stop, with various other accommodations. Its located just mile north of The Mosca entrance/exit on highway 17 in Hooper before the State HWY 12, north of the sand dunes. All Major credit cards are accepted. You'll find the convenience of showers for men & women, for your personal hygiene.
Brazen Cafe Located in Hooper, Colo on HWY 17. Ask for the truckers plate... it's the local's favorite!
Billy's Bar. Great Pizza, Great Beer
No lodging is available in the park. Alamosa, about 30 miles to the southwest, has a reasonable assortment of motels and motor inns. Some of the tiny towns on HWY 17 (Mosca and Moffat) have motels that seem to come and go:
The park includes a fairly large (88 sites), well-developed, and pleasant campground near the dunes; fee $14/site/night. First come first served.
The high country is good for backpacking (free permit, available at the visitor center, required). In addition, the rugged 4-wheel-drive road to Medano Pass at the eastern edge of the park offers opportunities for "backcountry car camping," if the term isn't an oxymoron. No permit is required for camping along this road.
Backcountry camping in the dune field itself is also possible, with a free permit, and is a truly mind-blowing experience. Sitting atop a dune, watching the sunset along the Rocky Mountains over the high dunes is simply magnificent. The climb in with a pack is rough on the steep sands, so be prepared for a real workout. The best time of the year to camp in the dunes is undoubtedly late Spring, since sand temperatures are too hot in the Summer, and even in the Fall. During the winter, the high altitude will make the sand extremely cold, and you definitely don't want to camp in both sand and snow. Temperatures in the dune field swing wildly throughout the day, as sand reacts to temperature changes very rapidly. Wear sandals for the day, and prepare for cold nights. And don't forget to prepare for the bizarre environment. That means proper sand gear for your tent (otherwise you will blow away in the rough night winds), and learn how to tie a turban—they're extremely useful for keeping your head cool in the day, warm at night, your face protected from airborne sand, and keeping your head cushioned in any crazy dune descents.
The Great Sand Dunes is generally safe. The Park Rangers are usually in the main parking lot, looking out for your safety. If you are in real need call the sheriff (719)655-2544.
| This is a usable article. It has information about the park, for getting in, about a few attractions, and about accommodations in the park. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! |
Category: Usable articles
   | Some photos of the Sand Dunes, ''Images may freely be used for any purpose whatsoever.'' - Photos from Great Sand Dunes National Park & the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, Colorado |
| | Great Sand Dunes National Park - Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) |
| | DesertUSA on the Sand Dunes - DesertUSA - Great Sand Dunes National Monument |
| | AmericanSouthwest.net on the Sand Dunes - Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado |
| | U.S. National Monuments on Great Sand Dunes - GORP - US National Monuments - Great Sand Dunes National Monument - Colorado |
| | The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve - GREAT SAND DUNES National Park & Preserve |
| | Great Sand Dunes @ SummitPost.org - SummitPost - Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve -- Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering |
| | ZIP Code Lookup - USPS - ZIP Code Lookup - Search By City |
| | Photos of Great Sand Dunes National Park - Great Sand Dunes National Park Pictures - US National Parks stock photos, fine art prints by QTL |
| | Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve - Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve - National Parks Gallery |
|
|
Top topics
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search
