The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

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Synopsis of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

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

The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Imagine a world that automatically fills out the emptiness in your heart by just being amazed as you see the ever-changing sand dune formations, having touched the firm and soft sandy soils…stepping on both the dry and moist details. And you may think, these golden sands appear strangely beautiful because of it dark colored patterns brought by ground containing deposits of crystalline black oxide of iron and magnetite.

One of the most strangely discovered deserts is finally discovered in the easternmost of Alamosa Country and Saguache Country in Colorado United States called the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Formerly designated as the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, it spans a distance of 85,000 acres or 340 square kilometers when it was also finally announced by an act from the United States Congress on the 13th of September in 2004. Interesting much on the unusual dune features, it continually change forms variety of figures 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, these streams do surround the edges of the dunes so if the streams are getting dry, the dunes can possibly disappear too but sands are then carried back by the wind due to the windiest areas, and when sands and stones are swept and brought away by the hikers. Dunes both create golden and dark deposits, carrying crystalline patterns.

The Majestic Sand Dunes Ever Formed

For its biggest breakthrough, the wonders of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve are considered to break the record of gaining the highest sand dunes in North America. It has 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.

Gifts of the Wild

Being blessed with great habitats to wildlife and other species, the Park is surrounded by several peaks bushed with tundra and alpine lakes, pine forests, ancient spruce and large stands of cottonwood and aspen surrounded by grasslands and wetlands. Ranging with wide species of animal survivors, it has revived different animals of the wild living in those places as high as 13,000 feet or 3,940 meters. 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.

The Medano Lake and Various Tributaries

However, getting to the dunes may also require muscle efforts while trying to cross the wide and shallow Medano Creek just beside the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which only flows during the seasons of early summer and spring. Though hiking is permitted, careful handling to the sands is also needed because it can heat up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius and ironically, much freezes also during winter. These sand collections are widely known to complete the majestic view of the Sangre de Cristo bringing all other features to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve located at the east range of Colorado State, all experienced by people in Saguache having the few population of 5,917 during the US census in the year 2000.

Below the Green Edges

The National Park is surrounded by its closest cities that require few hours’ drive including the Alamosa that is driven through ways to Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Denver, Albuquerque and New Mexico, all at great service to the Park. Moreover, this previous monument was then purchased around sections of the ranch that has bordered the Park on west and north sides plus 14,165 feet or 4,317 meters in the Kit Carson Mountain and at the subpeak Challenger Point with over 14,080 feet above the water drainages to the south edges. Presently, these sections are divided into three, that created parts in Sangre de Cristo Mountains then to the Rio Grande National Forest and another area that is good for hunting purposes, mostly done at the Rio Grande.

Good thing that the area has also been considered as an essential home for variety of residents, as of the year 2000, the census have recorded 578 people including 160 families and 262 households residing in the town, distributed in the areas of National Wilderness, La Garita Wilderness, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness and most especially, at the Great Sand Dunes Wilderness. Other survivors however are several types of species including the grasses, insects and kangaroo rats that are relatively compatible with the seasonal changes and the Park’s climatic patterns. Then to much higher elevations, plant communities are found to complete the alpine tundra plants bounded with wildflowers and remains of the Prehistoric Clovis complex that has been recovered, revealing the best of historic times together with the Ute people.

Great Touring Ideas

If you can’t resist what the Park would offer more, then take a closer look at the dunes, appearing to be more visible from a distance across the Valley by choosing either path from the country road 6N— the road going west from Mosca or coming from the south side crossing CO150, passing through the landscape of dusty areas along with scattered sediments all over the place. Take note of the Visitor Center, which has main road that leads to the campgrounds when continuing the 4WD route where this runs for a few mile due to pushing north bound between the hills and the dunes that climbs for up to 9,900 feet while crossing the mountain ranges and meeting the road 69 located at the small settlement in Bradford. Reaching this spot can be fine for camping ideas yet be careful with the edges of valley bed. Also, the valley becomes more sight captivating as it stretches the longest straight road in the country. It then includes 35 mile section of CO285, in a distance between Monte Vista and Saguache.

Views of Dry and Wet Lands

Hikes and tours offered in the Great Sand Dunes are driving through the majestic Medano Creek, the “Star Dunes”, having 360 view of inspirational sight reaching across another mile and a half across the summit. Then to the Eastern Dune Ridge, it can easily be travelled through high clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicles down the Castle Creek Picnic Areas or the Sand Pit as it offers impressively tall dune areas, accessed by water flow coming from the Medano Creek usually surrounding the fields during the autumn season. For the Alpine Trails, starting point is accessed from the Medano Pass 4WD road, beginning at 10,000 feet elevation. After climbing the 2,000 feet lush forests and meadows, the end point will be the alpine lake and timberline, all accessible for basic hikers. Getting into advanced hiking however, hikers can continue climbing the summit for another 13,297 feet in Mount Herard to catch greater view of the ever-changing sand dunes.

All packed with force and excitement, the tours are provided with programs regarding environmental management through the Park’s Natural Conservancy. Having it managed in over 1,000 bison, the Conservancy-owned grasslands are all within the National Park where Bison Tours are managed also to certain factors such as the weather patterns because of the careful preservation of the lands.

Peaceful Break after the Outdoors

After a long day’s travel and hike, a good rest completes the pleasure. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve offers the best lodges all worth the stay, accommodated with most of the customers’ needs, filling them in with the taste of wild and nature’s wonders. When you worry much of the travel, the first place guaranteed is the Pinyon Flats campground which is just 1 mile north from the Park’s Visitor Center…

The Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites provide good deals by having the sands firmer than the average due to often wetter conditions in the place. Though some vehicles may also drive through the sandy sections without losing the pressure of the tires having 25 campsites; the Great Sand Dunes Lodge definitely offers a wide span of astonishing views of nature seen in the San Luis Valley plus the variety of sand dune formations letting it appear as center of attraction because of its heightened details. 25 comfortable rooms are found at the 16-mile marker, Highway 150 at the Park entrance; you can also have to try the Zapata Ranch’s historical ranch rooms that are recently identified for great food accommodations and lodging; you can also look for the Oasis Campgrounds and San Luis State Park, surely giving you a break.

Keeping the Memories Alive

Pictures are worth a thousand words but videos can possibly work the souvenir travels the best. Grab your best tours, hikes, sand boarding and castle building especially in this astonishing National Park. Get the angles at their greatest just like these…

That’s all up! Now rev up yourself once more as you regain energy when you plan another unforgettable tour at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Speak for yourself and express the Park’s difference among the rest.

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