Great Sand Dunes National Park

We woke up reeeally early and left out from Colorado Springs towards the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We decided to take the Medano primitive road as our route into the park as we heard it had some incredible scenery and trails. This primitive road turned out to be a beautiful 22 miles of wildflowers, dirt, gravel, creek crossings, and sand paths.

Medano Pass Primitive Road

First of all, let us say, this road should not be attempted by any vehicle that is not 4-wheel drive, due to high clearance rocks/dips and water crossings. While we make the trek in July the water was only 6-12″ at each crossing but it is recommended to check the creek conditions before you make the drive. It is also recommended for some vehicles (those with regular road tires) to reduce air pressure to 20psi in each tire to navigate the sand, there is a place to refill your tires at the western entrance. You can enter the trail either from the west (from the Great Sand Dunes welcome center) or from the east. We decided to enter from the east due to us departing from Colorado Springs.

From Colorado Springs you head due south on 25 until you reach Walsenberg. There we fueled up and took highway 69 west to Gardner. Reset your odometer and drive approximately 8 miles west of Gardner on 69 and you will see a forest service sign with “Medano Pass Road” noted (County Road 559). The first 5 miles or so on the trail are mild dirt and gravel roads, rarely requiring 4-wheel drive, and passing near private property and national forest. We decided to enter “Medano Pass” into Google Maps to keep ourselves oriented as we continued on.

The next 5 miles were wooded trail with varying degree of incline, sharp turns, and narrow trail. The road was rocky but nothing too daunting. The next 5 mile stretch was more in a plain area with the road having a lot of vegetation on the side of the trail. This is where there were some cut backs across the creek and where you start to see some of the camp sites. This was the most tedious portion of the trail due to the slow going and the high amount of traffic. At the end of this segment there was a rest area with restrooms, and where the sand portion (and last ~5 mile stretch) begins. The key to maneuvering through the sand is to keep your vehicle moving and not stopping on soft sand. There are great views of the dunes on this last portion of the trail, and ends at the camping ground near the Great Sand Dune welcome center.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

After we exited the Medano Pass road, we drove to the Great Sand Dunes Oasis, which is a little gas station about 5 minutes from the park down highway 150. There we rented a sand board for $20 and headed back to the park (there are also sand sleds available for the same price). The Great Sand Dunes National Park is 85,000 acres of sand, and is home to the tallest sand dune in North America (750′). Depending on how much rain there has been, there are streams that flow around the dunes and are popular for cooling off while visiting the dunes.

Be aware that during the summer months the sand can reach temperatures of 150 degrees, so bring appropriate footwear, and don’t forget a pair of socks if you’re going to be trying sandboarding or sand sledding. Climbing up the dunes can be quite exhausting, especially if you continually do so while sand boarding or sledding. Every step you take up the dune, the sand causes you to slide down, so be sure to bring plenty of water to stay hydrated!

Don’t worry! You slide down much faster than it looks. The challenge is climbing back up the dunes when you’re finished!

150 degree sand has nothing on our Superfeet OUTSIDE sandals!

Overall, this is an extremely unique national park and well worth a day visit if you are able to! So, who’s ready to do some sandboarding!?

Logan & Kallsy
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