🏕️National Park Data
Grasslands, large dunes, and snow-capped peaks at sunset
Girls Sand Sledding
Elk, Grasslands, Dunes, and Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Lower Sand Creek Lake, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
Upper Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
Fall Colors Along Mosca Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park
National Park & Preserve

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Colorado

💰
Entrance Fee
$25
🕐
Hours
All Day
📍
Location
Mosca, CO
📞
Visitor Center
(719) 378-6395

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.

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About Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is a national park & preserve located in Colorado. 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

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.

💰 Entrance Fees & Passes

The general entrance fee for Great Sand Dunes starts at $15 (which commonly covers entry for a single private vehicle and passengers for up to 7 consecutive days). The park offers several fee options: Entrance - Private Vehicle ($25), Entrance - Non-commercial Groups ($15), Entrance - Motorcycle ($20), Commercial Entrance - Sedan ($25), Commercial Entrance - Van ($40), Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus ($40), Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach ($100), Entrance - Per Person ($15). If you plan to visit multiple national parks this year, purchasing the America the Beautiful National Parks Annual Pass ($80) is highly cost-effective, as general entry to most parks will quickly offset the pass cost.

Entrance - Private Vehicle$25
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups$15
Entrance - Motorcycle$20
Commercial Entrance - Sedan$25
Commercial Entrance - Van$40
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus$40
Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach$100
Entrance - Per Person$15

🥾 Things to Do

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve offers visitors a diverse selection of outdoor experiences. You can participate in a wide array of activities, most notably Arts and Culture, Craft Demonstrations, Live Music, Auto and ATV, and 52 other recreational activities, depending on the season and weather conditions. Path options exist for both casual strollers and expert backcountry adventurers.

✅ Arts and Culture
✅ Craft Demonstrations
✅ Live Music
✅ Auto and ATV
✅ Auto Off-Roading
✅ Astronomy
✅ Stargazing
✅ Biking
✅ Mountain Biking
✅ Camping
✅ Backcountry Camping
✅ Car or Front Country Camping
✅ Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
✅ Group Camping
✅ RV Camping
✅ Climbing
✅ Mountain Climbing
✅ Compass and GPS
✅ Orienteering
✅ Fishing
✅ Freshwater Fishing
✅ Fly Fishing
✅ Food
✅ Dining
✅ Picnicking
✅ Guided Tours
✅ Hands-On
✅ Arts and Crafts
✅ Volunteer Vacation
✅ Hiking
✅ Backcountry Hiking
✅ Front-Country Hiking
✅ Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
✅ Horse Trekking
✅ Horse Camping (see also camping)
✅ Horseback Riding
✅ Hunting and Gathering
✅ Hunting
✅ Junior Ranger Program
✅ Tubing
✅ River Tubing
✅ Skiing
✅ Cross-Country Skiing
✅ Downhill Skiing
✅ Snow Play
✅ Snowshoeing
✅ Swimming
✅ Freshwater Swimming
✅ Water Skiing
✅ Wildlife Watching
✅ Birdwatching
✅ Park Film
✅ Museum Exhibits
✅ Shopping
✅ Bookstore and Park Store
✅ Gift Shop and Souvenirs

📦 Recommended Gear & Packing Checklist

Custom items selected for activities at Great Sand Dunes

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🎒 Trail Essentials

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🥾 Activity-Specific Gear

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🧥 Apparel & Layers

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💡 Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

📋 Visitor Planning Tips for Great Sand Dunes

  • →Beat the Crowds: Arrive at the main gates or trailheads of Great Sand Dunes before 8:00 AM. Parking spaces at popular locations fill up extremely fast, especially during warm peak season weekends.
  • →Monitor Active Alerts: There are currently 5 active alerts for Great Sand Dunes. Keep an eye on the alert notifications at the top of this guide for crucial information regarding closures or safety issues.
  • →Secure Campsites Early: Lodging and developed campgrounds within and surrounding Great Sand Dunes get booked out months in advance. Make reservations on recreation.gov as early as the window opens.
  • →Pack Map Backups: Cell coverage is notoriously spotty or non-existent in remote sections of Great Sand Dunes. Download offline maps (such as on AllTrails or Google Maps) and carry a physical compass and paper map.
  • →Altitude & Hydration: The thin air and dry heat in this region will dehydrate you quickly. Pack at least 3 to 4 liters of water per person per day and pack electrolyte replacements.
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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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Sand Dunes

The entrance fee for Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is $25 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all 474+ NPS sites and pays for itself after just 2-3 park visits.

About the Author

🧗

James R. Mitchell

Founder & Lead Writer — National Park Data

James has visited all 63 designated US national parks and has been writing about outdoor travel for over 12 years. He spent 8 years as a wilderness guide in the Rocky Mountains before founding National Park Data to help visitors plan better, safer, and more enjoyable park trips.

🏔️ 63 Parks Visited✍️ 12 Years Writing🧭 Wilderness GuideFull Bio →
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