Entrance Fee
$25.00
/ Entrance - Private Vehicle
Park Hours (Today)
All Day
Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center: 9:00AM - 4:30PM
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About the Park
The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Stay on a moonless night to experience countless stars in this International Dark Sky Park! Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round. There are no timed entries or reservations to visit.
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What to See & Do
Splash in Medano Creek
Medano Creek is a popular seasonal stream enjoyed by all ages.
Explore the Dunes
Explore the tallest dunes in North America! The centerpiece of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is the 30-square-mile (78-square-km) dunefield, featuring the tallest dunes in North America. Because there are no trails, you can venture out anywhere you'd like to discover unusual insects, plants, wildlife tracks, ripples, and sand grains of every color.
Sandboarding and Sand Sledding
Sandboarding and sand sledding are the most popular activities on the dunes. Read the information on this page to have a positive, fun, and safe experience.
Experience the Night
Half the park is after dark! Night at Great Sand Dunes can include dunes exploration under a bright full moon, viewing thousands of stars on a clear moonless night, listening for owls along the foothills, or observing migrating amphibians on a wet night.
Hike Montville Nature Trail or Mosca Pass Trail
Just above the dunefield are montane woodlands of pinon and ponderosa pine, subalpine aspen and conifer forests, alpine lakes and rugged mountains over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation. The easiest access to forest in the national park is on the Montville Nature Trail and Mosca Pass Trail.
Hike Medano Lake and Mount Herard
Take your 4WD vehicle around the dunes and up to Medano Pass, hike to a small alpine lake, then continue to the summit of 13,297 ft (4,053 m) Mount Herard for an aerial perspective on the entire dunefield! This is a physically demanding but incredibly rewarding way to experience many of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve's ecoystems, from desert dunes to alpine tundra. Watch the high-energy 40-second video to get a glimpse of this unique experience!
Visitor Centers
Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
The visitor center offers restrooms, a water fill station, interactive exhibits, and a 20-minute video about the park. Park rangers are available to answer questions and help you plan your time.
Entrance Station
Purchase park passes at the Entrance Station, located on the main entrance road.
Where to Stay
Piñon Flats Campground
Piñon Flats is a National Park Service campground located one mile north of the Visitor Center, open April through October. All sites are by reservation on recreation.gov. Beginning in the 2026 season, Individual and group sites can be reserved up to 3 months in advance.
Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
Roadside camping is permitted at 21 campsites in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve beginning 5.2 miles from where the road begins near Piñon Flats Campground. These designated sites are free of charge and first-come, first-served. All 21 sites fill on summer weekends. Passable only in the warmer months and only with high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. This road crosses areas of deep sand, traverses Medano Creek nine times, and passes through excellent habitat for bighorn sheep.
Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or Forest
The most popular and unique backpacking option is camping in the 30-square-mile dunefield, beyond the major dune ridgeline (about 1.5 mile hike minimum over dunes). Enjoy wide open views of the starry sky or a bright moonlit night. Designated sites are also available in the trees of the foothills, or camping is available in higher forests of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. Reserve national park backpacking permits for the dunes or foothills through recreation.gov
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
To access the main park area, including the Dunes Parking Lot, Visitor Center, and Pinon Flats Campground, take US 160 to CO 150 from the south, or CO 17 to Lane 6 to CO 150 from the west. The national park is at the north end of CO 150.
Park Amenities
Permits & Reservations
Permits may be required
Some activities in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve — including backcountry camping, certain trails, and climbing routes — require advance permits. Check the official NPS website for current requirements before your visit.
Entrance Fees & Passes
Standard Fees
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$25.00Fees are charged only when the entrance station is open in the spring, summer, and fall seasons or when the visitor center is open in the winter season. Fees can be paid by cash, check, or credit card. Passes may also be purchased in advance online through recreation.gov .
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$15.0015+ passenger vehicle, age 16+
Entrance - Motorcycle
$20.00Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Commercial Entrance - Sedan
$25.00This fee is for a commercial group of 1-6 people in a smaller vehicle. Valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Van
$40.00This fee is for a commercial group of 7-15 persons in a van. Valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus
$40.00This fee is for a commercial group of 16-25 persons in a mini-bus. Valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach
$100.00This fee is for a commercial motor coach with 26+ capacity. Valid for 7 days.
Entrance - Per Person
$15.00Entrance Fee for Bicycles or Walk-In Visitors
Annual & Lifetime Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$45.00If you visit Great Sand Dunes more than once in a year, consider purchasing an annual pass to save money. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass admits the pass holder(s) and all family members in the vehicle into the park for one year from date of purchase.
Operating Hours
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
The park and preserve are open 24/7 all year
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Live Webcams
Click any camera to open the live feed on the NPS website.
Photos
Girls Sand Sledding
Elk, Grasslands, Dunes, and Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Lower Sand Creek Lake, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
Upper Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
Year-round
Trip Length
2-4 days
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Planning Great Sand Dunes & Preserve
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