Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park with kids is such a fun experience! This unique Colorado park combines a national park with a preserve–encompassing a total of 232.9 square miles! Keep reading for all our tips of what to do, when to go, and where to stay!
all about Great Sand Dunes National Park
The sand dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park are the tallest dunes in North America. The park was first protected as a National Monument in 1932 and later expanded into a National Park and Preserve in 2004. I had no idea how diverse the topography and geography of this park would be. There’s everything from massive sand dunes, to alpine forests. There’s even the seasonal Medano Creek that is a popular attraction in spring and early summer!
Much like the terrain, weather also brings a variety. Summers can be warm, with daytime highs in the 70s and 80s–we even had unusually hot temperatures in the 80s during our visit! This warm weather and bright sun means the sand can reach scorching temperatures quickly. Luckily, evenings cool off nicely, making it the perfect time to stroll around the dunes. If you’re visiting in the winter then be prepared for snow. Wind is possible and problematic year-round.
exploring Great Sand Dunes National Park with kids
things to do in Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a fun one to visit with kids as there are several unique activities there. These are some of the top things we recommend doing, but keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list.
stop at the Visitor Center
Of course, a stop at the Visitor Center is a must. This is the gateway to the rest of the park. Not only are there great displays and a park store, but this is where you would pick up your Junior Ranger booklet if you’re visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park with kids.
family-friendly hikes
The interesting thing about Great Sand Dunes National Park is there are a lot of “trails” that traverse the dunes. It can be kind of disorienting out there when you’re staring up at massive dunes up to 750 feet above your head. Also, keep in mind that trekking even just a mile through loose sand is a lot more strenuous than a normal one mile hike. Be prepared with plenty of water and know your limits!
Our family enjoyed the Monteville Nature Trail, a nice break from the heat of the sand dunes. Not only will you get to walk under a canopy of pines, but you’ll also have a slight climb to an impressive view of the sand dunes! This loop trail is approximately .5 mile and there are booklets you can borrow at the trailhead that explain what you’re hiking past.
sled and board the dunes
As someone who is pretty frugal, I would say renting the sand sleds is well-worth the money if you’re visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park with kids. There are several places you can rent them from, one of them being right at our own campground–which was very convenient! You can either rent sleds or boards. We rented two sleds because we felt like they would be easier for our age range of kids. However, a very nice group next to us let one of my daughters borrow a board and she had a great time!
Two important things–you have to have the proper equipment for the dunes. Cardboard boxes or snow sleds will not work. Trust me. Just spend the money and have a great time making some fun memories. The other important thing is to be prepared for sun and wind. We planned well and trekked across the dunes with our shade shelter. It was great for protecting us from the sun, but the wind is relentless. It comes and goes in sudden gusts and is quite unpleasant, so be prepared.
Be prepared: You will see signs about the sand being hot and to wear shoes and socks. You’ll think your sandals are fine. Believe me when I say–you’re wrong. I highly recommend shoes and socks, or at the very least socks with water shoes (like Crocs). The sand here really does reach burning hot temperatures.
see the night sky
Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24/7 and our nighttime experience was my favorite! We headed over after setting up our campsite the first night and were blown away by sunset. Watching the sunset over the dunes was so memorable, and they are my favorite pictures too! Bonus? The sand is nice and cool instead of burning hot.
seasonal fun at Great Sand Dunes National Park
If you’re exploring the dunes at the right time of year, you’ll be able to enjoy a unique experience. In certain months–especially in years with wetter winters–Medano Creek separates the main Dunes parking lot from the dunes. This creates a fun chance to splash around at the base of the dunes! typically, the peak flow for Medano Creek is in late May. Unfortunately, it was completely dry during our mid-June visit.
You might also like these other Colorado parks blog posts:
where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of those parks that are remote. Due to this, the accommodation options are kind of limited. You can camp within the park boundaries, but there were no hookups for our trailer. The next closest option is Great Sand Dunes Oasis Campground. We had full hookups, and the campground bathrooms were clean with hot showers. Other than a small playground area, that’s pretty much it. It was fine, but nothing special–other than the location. There is also a restaurant and camp store on site. This is the closest place to rent boards and sleds for the dunes.
If you don’t want to camp (or stay in a rustic cabin) your closest lodging options are in the towns of Fort Garland or Alamosa. Personally, our family generally prefers to stay as close to the parks as possible. And our convenient location did make it easy to head into the park in the evenings, which was nice!
Would you visit this Colorado national park?
