Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Activities
Most visitors limit their activities to the area where Medano Creek (pronounced
med
-a-
no) divides the main dune mass from the towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The re-
maining 85% of the park's area is designated wilderness - almost all major ecosystems
are represented here, with the exception of volcanoes and coastline.
From the visitor center, a short trail leads to the Mosca Picnic Area next to ankle-deep
Medano Creek, which you must ford (when the creek is running) to reach the dunes.
Across the road from the visitor center, the Mosca Pass Trail climbs up into the Sangre de
Cristo Wilderness.
The area beyond the Point of No Return parking lot is a good spot to get further out into
the backcountry on backpacking trips; a road theoretically leads up to Medano Pass
(9982ft) at the top of the Sangres, but because of the sand it's not recommended unless
you have a suitable off-road vehicle.
Regardless of where you go, take a hat, closed shoes, sunscreen, water and bandanna to
protect your face if the wind picks up.
WHY ALL THE SAND?
Upon your first glimpse of the dunes, you can't help but wonder: where did all this sand come from, and why
does it stay here? The answer lies in the unique geography and weather patterns of the San Luis Valley. Streams,
snowmelt and flash floods have been carrying eroded sand and silt out of the San Juan Mountains (about 60 miles
to the west) to the valley floor for millions of years.
There, prevailing winds from the southwest gradually blow the sand into the natural hollow at the southern end
of the Sangre de Cristo range. At the same time, streams and stronger prevailing winds from the eastern moun-
tains push back in the other direction, causing the sand to pile up into what are now the highest dunes in North
America.
If you look closely at the sand (the visitor center has a magnifying glass) you'll see a spectrum of shapes and
colors: 29 different rock and mineral types - from obsidian and sulfur to amethyst and turquoise - are represented
in the sand's makeup.
Medano Creek
One of the most curious spectacles in the entire park, the snowmelt Medano Creek flows
down from the Sangre de Cristos and along the eastern edge of the dunes. Peak flow is
usually in late May or early June, and the rippling water over the sand creates a temporary
beach of sorts, which is extremely popular with families. In years when the water is high
enough (check the park website for daily water-level reports; the level of late has been
very low), children can even float down the creek on an inner tube, right along the dunes.
