Great Sand Dunes National Park

 

Since we had lived near the Delaware beaches for several years we knew about big sand dunes. The sand dunes in Cape Henlopen State Park are some of the biggest on the U.S. east coast.

But what we experienced in Great Sand Dunes National Park took things to a whole new level. Some of the dunes peak out at 750 feet in height. And they change constantly. Due to the high winds and flat plains the sands are forever shifting. 

And I do mean flat plains. 

Once we exited the nearest major roadway we drove for 45 minutes seeing nothing but scrub grass and far distant mountains. I was beginning to wish, once again, that I had filled the fuel tank at the last gas station we had passed. 

Just when I thought that maybe we had slipped into an episode of the Twilight Zone, a Dollar Store appeared. Yep, you can always count on finding a Dollar Store no matter where you are. A Dollar Store meant people, people meant cars, and cars meant a gas station which turned out to be only another 20 miles away.

One of the top things to do at this National Park is to rent a sand sled and sled down the sides of the dunes. But to sled down, you first need to pull the sled up a long, long way. If you have ever gone for a walk in the softer sands along the ocean, you know what kind of effort is involved. 

Betty and I quickly agreed we had neither the leg muscles nor the overall stamina to pull a sled while fighting against sifting sand and the effects of high elevation. Instead we opted to walk along Medano Creek - which only exits for a couple of months each year. The creek is created by snow melt from the relatively nearby mountaintop.

 

Locals told us that following winters with a heavy snowfall Medano Creek can run about two feet deep for a few weeks. When we were there, the area was still suffering from below average precipitation so the creek was only inches deep.  And cold.

Nevertheless families were enjoying splashing in the water, with younger children flat on their bellies. 

It was obvious that Betty and I were not hearty Coloradans since we were dressed in multiple layers. Splashing in snow melt water? No thank you!

 

The Great Sand Dunes are certified as an International Black Sky Park, meaning it is a great location to observe the stars with absolutely no light pollution. Unfortunately rain rolled through the night we were there so we didn't get the chance to experience that.