The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Review

Posted on 01 July 2009
Tags: Colorado, great sand dunes national park and preserve, wildlife

Located in the easternmost of Alamosa and Saguache Country in Colorado United States, one of the most strangely discovered deserts is finally considered a National Park which is formerly designated as the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Spanning a distance of 85,000 acres or 340 square kilometers, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was finally announced by an act from the United States Congress on the 13th of September in 2004.

Stepping Into the Majestic Sand Dunes

Do you know what makes the dunes interesting? It’s when they continually change forms as several streams carry the sands into the downstream where sands are also deposited the moment the waters disappear into the ground. As you may also observe, several streams do surround the edges of the dunes so if the streams are getting dry, the dunes can possibly disappear too but sands are therefore carried back by the wind due to the most windy areas, and when sands and stones that are swept and brought away by the hikers, dunes can easily be covered by sands again below the wet sands as dig few inches below the ground containing deposits of crystalline black oxide of iron and magnetite.

Undoubtedly, having the tallest sand dunes in North America, the Great Sand Dunes have overtaken the others by rising up to 750 feet above the valley bed. Actually, the dunes are products of wind and rain that also eroded Sangre de Cristo Mountains and San Juan that is circled by the Valley of San Luis. The sands are collected through the rushing winds coming across the valley and to opposite directions. As the winds blow day after day, different sand dunes area created and thus, making the sand moves, growing both less and more deposits, forming like different styles of sculptures but also maintaining stable forms because of its moist structure within because of the snow and rain that paved the desert throughout.

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Definitely A Home For Wildlife

Getting to its greater features, the Park also contains six peaks with over 13,000 feet, including tundra and alpine lakes, pine forests, ancient spruce and large stands of cottonwood and aspen surrounded by grasslands and wetlands perfect for providing habitat for different animals belonging to wildlife and other strange plant species. Also, one of the most unusual parts is that the Medano Creek, which is by the east side of the dunes, it is also the place where the Visitor Center is seen as well as the Bookstore, making it an unstable place for providing a steam bed. Though small underwater sand dunes also act like dams it may form but may break down so waders in the stream eventually create small waves for only a short time especially during low-water seasons.

More than the joy of creating sand castles during the whole days of sightseeing, the Visitor Center at the Great Sand Dunes National Park is definitely open for interested customers and guests from 9 in the morning until 6 in the evening where hours vary for the whole year. And for greater amusement, visitors are offered with video presentations, an excellent bookstore and exhibits, surely providing absolute assistance to all ages. Plus, it will be incomplete without the other locations needed such as accessible restrooms, parking lots, wheelchairs, and campsites with amphitheater, RV dump station, dumpster, air compressor and water hose which are all available at the Pinon Flats Campground and Sawmill Backcountry Site.

Definitely, short talks, nature walks and other evening ceremonies will be enjoyed all the days of summer and other memorable seasons like the spring and fall at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. So you really have to set a reservation before getting into the hike plan to save a chance of wildlife and unique adventure at the same time all worth the price.