{"id":17689,"date":"2021-10-09T17:56:52","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T23:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/?p=17689"},"modified":"2026-01-13T19:00:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T02:00:49","slug":"great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Sand Dunes National Park Guide with Kids Plus 18 Tips for Visiting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17711\" style=\"width:675px;height:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg 900w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes-640x427.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mount Herard and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Colorado is home to the tallest dunes in North America. The Great Sand Dunes National Park seems out of place amongst a diverse landscape of wetlands, grasslands, forests, and mountain ranges. We suggest a visit as part of a <a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/6-day-southwest-colorado-loop-road-trip-visit-3-national-parks-6-national-forests-fun-mountain-towns\/\">6-day Southwest Colorado road trip loop<\/a>.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#How_to_Get_to_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park\" >How to Get to the Great Sand Dunes National Park<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#What_are_the_Entrance_Fees_for_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\" >What are the Entrance Fees for the Great Sand Dunes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#How_to_Get_Around_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\" >How to Get Around the Great Sand Dunes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#Hikes_with_Kids_in_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park\" >Hikes with Kids in the Great Sand Dunes National Park<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#Great_Sand_Dunes_One-Day_Itinerary\" >Great Sand Dunes One-Day Itinerary<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#Night_Visits\" >Night Visits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#18_Tips_for_Visiting_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_with_Kids\" >18 Tips for Visiting the Great Sand Dunes with Kids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#Where_to_Stay_Near_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\" >Where to Stay Near the Great Sand Dunes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/#Visit_as_Part_of_our_Southwest_Colorado_Loop\" >Visit as Part of our Southwest Colorado Loop<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traveling the 35 miles northeast on US HWY-150 from US HWY-160, you\u2019ll enjoy picturesque views on your right of the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Range, a subrange of the more extensive Sangre de Cristo Mountains.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Views include the 14,351-foot Blanca Peak, Twin Peaks, California Peak, North Zapata Ridge, and Mt Zwischen.<\/span> If traveling from the west to the park from US HWY-17 on County Road 6, this panorama will be directly in front of you to the east.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might dismiss the park as &#8220;just big piles of sand&#8221; but it is much more. A visit can include a day at the beach, hikes through the forested trails or dunes, sandboarding and sand sledding down the dunes, and exploring under a bright full moon enjoying views of thousands of stars and the Milky Way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After experiencing the beauty of Great Sand Dunes National Park firsthand, we\u2019ve compiled this guide filled with useful information to help you make the most of your visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:18px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:48px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Great-Sand-Dunes-big-map.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"478\" height=\"643\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Great-Sand-Dunes-big-map.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17699\" style=\"width:359px;height:482px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Great-Sand-Dunes-big-map.jpg 478w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Great-Sand-Dunes-big-map-223x300.jpg 223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Get_to_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park\"><\/span>How to Get to the Great Sand Dunes National Park <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Located in southern Colorado, t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">he park is 234 miles from Denver and 246 miles from Albuquerque. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To access the main park area, drive 35 miles north of US HWY 160 on US HWY 150<\/span> to the gate. If traveling from the west from US HWY 17 turn east on County Road 6 to drive around 20 miles to HWY 150 and then northeast to the gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Alamosa, the park is a short 30-mile drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-entrance-fees-for-the-great-sand-dunes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Entrance_Fees_for_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\"><\/span>What are the Entrance Fees for the Great Sand Dunes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A basic entrance pass which is good for up to seven consecutive days costs $25. We highly recommend purchasing an America the Beautiful Annual Pass for $80 which will give you entrance to all National Park Service sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-buttons uagb-buttons__outer-wrap uagb-btn__default-btn uagb-btn-tablet__default-btn uagb-btn-mobile__default-btn uagb-block-a4ade79a\"><div class=\"uagb-buttons__wrap uagb-buttons-layout-wrap \">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-buttons-child uagb-buttons__outer-wrap uagb-block-23e9d2fe wp-block-button\"><div class=\"uagb-button__wrapper\"><a class=\"uagb-buttons-repeater wp-block-button__link\" aria-label=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/national-park-guides-with-kids\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" role=\"button\"><div class=\"uagb-button__link\">See All Our National Park Guides<\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"823\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17701\" style=\"width:617px;height:380px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map.jpg 823w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sand-dunes-map-640x394.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Get_Around_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\"><\/span>How to Get Around the Great Sand Dunes <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The paved area of the park is a small region of the whole park. To explore this area, drive to one of the four parking lots. If you have a 4WD with high clearance, you can explore the unpaved, Medano Pass Primitive Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17706\" style=\"width:768px;height:576px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsandduneshikers-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The arrows are pointing to hikers to give you some perspective. The picture is from near the parking lot. Notice the creek is dry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hikes_with_Kids_in_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park\"><\/span>Hikes with Kids in the Great Sand Dunes National Park<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The park offers fourteen hiking trails through dunes and forested trails with various mileage and difficulty. We recommend the three below easy hikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17709\" style=\"width:576px;height:768px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/montville-nature-trail-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Montville Nature Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Montville Nature Trail, a 0.5-mile trail through trees and over a creek.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wellington Ditch, a 2-mile trail between the visitor center and campground.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mosca Pass Trail, although 3.5 miles one way, your family can turn back any time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sand Dunes &#8211; various endpoints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:37px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg 900w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Medano-Creek-In-Great-Sand-Dunes-640x427.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Medano Creek in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Great_Sand_Dunes_One-Day_Itinerary\"><\/span>Great Sand Dunes One-Day Itinerary <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the park as early as possible as the sand can get very hot.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hike the<\/span> Montville Nature Trail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Park at the Dunes parking lot<\/span> to explore the creek and dunes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there\u2019s water (spring-summer) in Medano Creek, change into swimwear at the changing station to play in the shallow water and make sand castles<\/span>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hike to the Dunes &#8211; High Dune Trail &#8211; is the most common destination for hikers. From the base to the top is 693 feet and can take over an hour to climb up. <\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sled or board down the Dunes<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rinse off at the shower stations<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stop at the Visitor Center to earn a Junior Ranger Badge<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-night-visits\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Night_Visits\"><\/span>Night Visits <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you visit in the late afternoon or if you plan on camping in the park, don&#8217;t miss the opportunity to explore the park at night. Great Sand Dunes has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association. To see the most stars, plan your visit for moonless nights. To hike the dunes, plan on visiting during a full moon. Be on the outlook for toads, salamanders, coyotes, and owls. Bring a red light instead of just a flashlight to minimize your use of lights. Check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/grsa\/planyourvisit\/guidedtours.htm\">park&#8217;s night programs<\/a> and don&#8217;t forget to have the kids become Junior Ranger Night Explorers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-1024x511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17710\" style=\"width:768px;height:383px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-768x383.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-1536x766.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-2048x1022.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/drymedanocreek-640x319.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-18-tips-for-visiting-the-great-sand-dunes-with-kids\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"18_Tips_for_Visiting_the_Great_Sand_Dunes_with_Kids\"><\/span>18 Tips for Visiting the Great Sand Dunes with Kids<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stop at Zapata Falls on the way to the park. The gravel road to the trailhead has recently been improved. The trail is less than a mile round-trip but requires trekking a rocky path and wading through the creek to get to the falls.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you plan on playing in Medano Creek, bring bug spray as mosquitos can be bad in the area.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring sunblock and plenty of water. The higher elevation requires both.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pack sunglasses or goggles for everyone, especially if it\u2019s windy to help keep any blowing sand out of your eyes.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring shoes or hike in socks if you plan to hike the dunes, not sandals as the sand can be hot.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring an empty backpack on your dunes hike to carry shoes in case some of your crew decide halfway to hike without theirs.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take plenty of breaks hiking the dunes, trekking through the sand is quite the workout.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rent a sled or board before you get to the park. Rentals are available at The Oasis, 4 miles from the park entrance. Traditional snow sleds and boards and cardboard do not work well with the sand.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hiking on the sand is like hiking on the beach, the movement of the soft sand makes the hike more strenuous. Hiking along the ridgelines is a little easier as the sand is firmer.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the San Luis Lakes Wildlife Area next door &#8211; buy a Colorado park pass in Mosca at the \u201cPit Stop\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring snacks or pack a lunch, there are no food services inside the park.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an average year, <\/span>Medano Creek starts as a trickle in April with May near the peak of the creek\u2019s annual flow. During May and June weekends, the area is extremely crowded. By August and September,<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the creek is usually completely gone.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring inflatable floaties for the kids to relax in the water.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The closest restaurant is at the Great Sand Dunes Oasis just outside the park in Mosca.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the spring and fall, over 20,000 cranes visit the valley. The birds usually feed and roost in the wetlands section of the park which is not currently accessible to the public. To get closer views of the cranes during these times, visit the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge or San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The closest, open year-round, gas stations are in Mosca, 23 miles west, and in Fort Garland, 31 miles southeast. The Oasis Store outside of the park entrance is open during business hours from April through October.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your crew is older and into hiking, plan an extra day at the park to explore some of the harder hiking trails.  We suggest hiking to Medano Lake, Sand Creek Lakes, or Mount Herald.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After the park, drive to <a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/tourist-trap-or-family-fun-colorado-gators-reptile-park\/\">Colorado Gators.<\/a> Your kids will love it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_Stay_Near_the_Great_Sand_Dunes\"><\/span>Where to Stay Near the Great Sand Dunes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Camping <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inside the <\/span>park\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inside the national park is the option to camp at Pinon Flats Campground. The 88 individual sites for up to 8 people are available by reservation through recreation.gov and are open from April through October. Individual sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance and group sites up to one year. The campground has a restroom with flush toilets and a dumping station but no showers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Camping outside the park<\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nearby camping outside the park includes the <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Luis Lakes Wildlife Area<\/span>, Oasis Campground, and Zapata Falls Campground.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nearby hotel accommodations\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We recommend a hotel <a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/advanced-search\/search-results?order=distance&amp;dir=1&amp;query=all&amp;jr_address=Alamosa%2C+CO%2C+USA&amp;jr_radius=20&amp;jr_latitude=37.4694491&amp;jr_longitude=-105.8700214\">stay in <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alamosa<\/span><\/a>, the town has a couple of grocery stores and a Walmart to replenish your trip snacks and meals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:48px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-visit-as-part-of-our-southwest-colorado-loop\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_as_Part_of_our_Southwest_Colorado_Loop\"><\/span>Visit as Part of our Southwest Colorado Loop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Great Sand Dunes can be a stop as part of a 6-day, 3 National Park, <a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/6-day-southwest-colorado-loop-road-trip-visit-3-national-parks-6-national-forests-fun-mountain-towns\/\">Southwest Colorado Loop<\/a>.  You&#8217;ll explore Colorado&#8217;s breathtaking mountains, beautiful forests, high plains, spacious mesas, stunning canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands.&nbsp;Enjoy stops at Garden of the Gods, Chimney Rock National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:48px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17716\" style=\"width:342px;height:512px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp-640x960.png 640w, https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/greatsanddunesnp.png 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pin now for later!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colorado is home to the tallest dunes in North America. The Great Sand Dunes National Park seems out of place amongst a diverse landscape of wetlands, grasslands, forests, and mountain ranges. We suggest a visit as part of a 6-day Southwest Colorado road trip loop. Traveling the 35 miles northeast on US HWY-150 from US&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Great Sand Dunes National Park Guide with Kids Plus 18 Tips for Visiting<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","neve_meta_reading_time":"","_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"0","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4474],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-parks-2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Great Sand Dunes National Park Guide with Kids Plus 18 Tips for Visiting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your big family can visit Great Sand Dunes National Park, let us show you how with Itinerary, Maps, and Tips for Visiting\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Great Sand Dunes National Park Guide with Kids Plus 18 Tips for Visiting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You might dismiss the park as &quot;just big piles of sand&quot; but it is much more. A visit can include a day at the beach, hikes through the forested trails or dunes, sandboarding and sand sledding down the dunes, and exploring under a bright full moon enjoying views of thousands of stars and the Milky Way.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/great-sand-dunes-national-park-guide-with-kids-plus-18-tips-for-visiting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SixSuitcaseTravel - Big Family Travel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SixSuitcaseTravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SixSuitcaseTravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-10-09T23:56:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-14T02:00:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsuitcasetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Mount-Herard-And-Great-Sand-Dunes.jpg\" 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