It is easy to forget while in the throes of a busy life that there are accessible places in the United States where you can find yourself and lose yourself at the same time in a world of wild beauty. Take the Medano Pass to Great Sand Dunes National Park - which will take you on a beautiful 22 mile stretch of wildflowers and creek crossings. ... or go for a thrill with nearby rentals for offroad driving, sand sledding or sand boarding. We would start with Great Sand Dunes (10,520ft), then Black Canyon of the Gunnison (9,040ft), then hopefully we would be acclimated enough to climb Longs Peak (14,255ft) in Rocky Mountain National Park. Group camping sites at the Great Sand Dunes are available. Even though the dunes can be seen from miles away, driving up to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in south central Colorado is still a surreal experience. The dunes were formed from sand and soil deposits of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Need more details on the distances between these two locations? If you’re driving through Colorado, this park is definitely worth making a stop.Here’s why: Great Sand Dunes graduated from a national monument in 2004, making it our second youngest national park! The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising to a maximum height of 750 feet from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, covering about 19,000 acres. At 750 feet, Star Dune is the tallest dune in Great Sand Dunes, followed by High Dune at 699 feet. Find all the transport options for your trip from Gunnison to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve right here. We were giggling like little kids before the day was over. Weather: Weather in Grand Sand Dunes National Park can be mild but windy in the spring but this is when the river is flowing. The main dunefield covers an area of 30 square miles. June 1, 2016 Our boondocking spot near Salida, CO made the drive down to The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is RANDOM. Colorado Scenic Byway: Los Caminos Antiguos & Great Sand Dunes National Park Great Sand Dunes officially became a national park on September 13, 2004. It's shorter to take US285 from Denver but this gives you a nice shot at Pike's Peak.. Have fun. Rome2rio makes travelling from Gunnison to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve easy. https://familytravelfever.com/great-sand-dunes-national-park I went to Great Sand Dunes National Park on a whim. As you are driving through Colorado's farm, prairie, and marsh lands, snow capped peaks in the distance provide a stunning backdrop for absolutely massive sand dunes that seemingly come out of nowhere. Article by Pages of Travel - Travel Blog. Driving the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited through Medano Pass located in Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. Driving Medano Pass & Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park. I was thisclose to not going but am so glad I did. Great Sand Dunes Camping Around The National Park. 104. The route we like if you have the time is driving to Colorado Springs then up past Pike's Peak on US24, through the mountain plateau of South Park and then south on US285. Today we enthusiastically recommend a day in Great Sand Dunes National Park to anyone who is planning to road trip through Colorado. The Piñon (Pinyon) Flats Campground is open in April through November and reservations can be made through recreation.gov, individual suites often run $20/night and a maximum of 8 people and 2 vehicles are requested per spot. After Alex and I were chased from Loch Vale by a storm we headed back into Estes Park and got a deliciously filling dinner at Smokin' Daves BBQ.During our meal we talked about our options for the remaining two days. The plan was to try to climb three national park highpoints in Colorado over the next three days. Typically, when there is this much sand, there is an ocean nearby, but all there is here are the 14,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the open San Luis Valley to the west. Yah, would be pretty rare. Eric and Jake, Nov 9, 2019. See the chart which displays detailed distance from Vail to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. (The youngest national park is Pinnacles in California, established in 2013). N ot only are the massive sandy hills of Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park a totally unexpected landscape, they also provide endless amusement in one of the country's most underrated national parks. Filmed with GoPro Hero 3+ Silver. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Driving Colorado Highway 150 to the Great Sand Dunes National Park From sandboarding or sledding the dunes to swimming in Medano Creek, this is one of the best parks for unfettered fun. For reference, the tallest sand dunes in the world are found in Inner Mongolia, China, at a height of 1,600 feet. Music Credit: Bishop Briggs - Wild Horses. Location: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located 238 miles south (approximately a four hour drive) of Denver. Your directions start from Vail, CO 81657, USA and end at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, USA.. Like the driving directions from Vail to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve? Great Sand Dunes National Park is about 4 hours out of Denver (our starting point) so we figured we could make it quick lunch stop. Great Sand Dunes National Park: ... trekking through sand is a workout. Friday night I flew to Denver for the long Veteran’s Day weekend. 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