Road Trip: Great Sand Dunes National Park - Part 1

We stayed at the Great Sand Dunes Lodge, which sits just outside of the park boundary. The lodge offers a few old campers, which have been fixed up and are available for rental. We stayed in one, which was cute (if a little pricey). But you couldn't beat the view. From the window of our camper we had an outstanding view of the dunes.

So after checking in and unloading the car, we had enough time to make a quick visit to the park. We hurried in, as the mountains around us were bathed in evening light.



The Sand Dunes really are Great. The park contains the tallest and widest sand dunes in North America, with the largest reaching a height of about 750 feet. It is a really neat and scenic park, with the dunes sitting right at the base of the majestic mountains of the Sangre de Cristo Range. A shallow creek that is fed by snowmelt runs beside the dunes. We parked and crossed the creek (which was just an inch or two deep). But we weren't the only ones there. Apparently for a brief period every summer, the creek gets low enough to form stagnant pools. Which, of course, brings swarms of mosquitoes. As luck would have it, we were there right in the middle of mosquito season.



We strolled out to the dunes as the sky lit up for sunset. Jonah ran around trying to decide which of the dunes he wanted to sled down the next day. All of us, including our new mosquito friends, watched as the sun sank behind the dunes for the day.



Before sunrise the next day, I woke up and headed out to the park. I wanted to get a picture of the morning light hitting the dunes with the mountains in the background. I managed to leave the camper without waking anyone else up, and remembered to bring the camera and tripod. But I forgot to bring something vitally important - the bug spray. I parked at a small overlook and opened the door and was immediately attacked by a cloud of mosquitoes. My arms, legs and face were an easy breakfast as I tried to set up the camera. The only thing that would keep them at bay was to be in constant motion. So while I waited for the light to change on the dunes, I walked in circles around the camera, the car and the overlook. If I stopped to adjust the camera, however briefly, the plague of mosquitoes would descend. I ended up with this picture, and then hurried back to the refuge of our camper.



Back at the lodge we had breakfast (luckily the mosquitoes weren't so bad up there). I looked out the window and the light on the dunes was perfect, so I rushed out to get a picture. It's amazing how the subtle difference in light can change the appearance of the dunes. 





One of the most popular activities in the park is to go sand-boarding or sledding. So we rented a board from the lodge and then made a return trip to the dunes. Riding a board down the dunes is a lot of fun, but you have to be careful. If you wipe out, you will end up completely covered in sand. Your hair will be coated with sand. Your shoes will be filled with sand. Anakin Skywalker would hate it here.





It's hard to appreciate the sheer size of the dunes unless you see them in person, or try to climb to the top. People attempting to climb the dunes started to look like tiny ants going up a hill.





I'm not entirely sure why, but the mosquitoes left us alone while we were out there (maybe because it was getting to be the middle of the day?). But it was starting to get hot. There is hardly any vegetation on the dunes, and no shade. So on sunny days it gets really warm out on the sand.



But luckily there is a waterfall that is conveniently located just outside the park, perfect for cooling off. More on that on the next post....