Monday, June 8, 2009

Great Sand Dunes National Park


Against the backdrop of rugged 14,000-foot peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, the 30-square mile Great Sand Dune field, with no designated trails, invites you to explore freely. The natural system of the Great Sand Dunes National Park ranges from sand dunes to forests, from cottonwood groves to majestic mountain peaks and tundra. The highest elevation in the park is 13,604'. Play in intermittent Medano Creek, hike forest trails, or camp in the back country. The Visitor Center and Campground areas are about 8200' above sea level.

The Great Sand Dunes were formed from sand deposits of the Rio Grande and its tributaries, flowing through the San Luis Valley. Over the ages, westerly winds picked up sand particles from the river flood plain. As the wind lost power before crossing the Sangre de Cristo Range, the sand was deposited on the east edge of the valley. This process continues, and the Great Sand Dunes are slowly growing. The wind changes the shape of the dunes daily.

One of the most unusual features of the Great Sand Dunes National Park happens at Medano Creek, which borders the east side of the dunes and is located next to the Visitor Center and Bookstore. Because fresh sand continually falls in the creek, Medano Creek never finds a permanent and stable streambed. Small underwater sand dunes that act like dams continually form, and break down. So waders in the stream see surges—which look like waves—of water flowing downstream at intervals of just a few seconds to a minute or more. In a high-water year, these surges can be as much as a foot in height, resembling ocean waves. Building sand castles with the creek sand is a popular visitor activity.

Visit the Great Sand Dunes today for a vacation experience like no other.