Marvel at the Scale of Great Sand Dunes National Park

In an ever-shrinking world where personal space seems to only grow smaller, it’s hard to imagine there are still places on Earth that continue to expand. But it’s true, thanks to Mother Nature’s powerful forces, there do exist primitive regions of the planet where wind and rain and heat are constantly adding to already magical pieces of natural art. Pieces of raw beauty like Great Sand Dunes National Park are a wonderful reminder that though the world around us may be getting smaller by the day, certain corners remain intact and just as strong as ever.

Rediscover childlike wonder at Great Sand Dunes

Colorado’s Rockies — a land of giants chiseled from granite and eons of battering rain, snow and wind, the hard spine that solidifies the western United States. At the tail of this imposing mountain chain, on the eastern edge of San Luis Valley, there rises up the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. And at the feet of these 14,000-foot towers lie the tallest sand dunes in North America, shaped by harrowing gusts and baked under a brutal sun.

These remarkable dunes are the centerpiece of Great Sand Dunes National Park, which also features tranquil lakes, expansive grasslands and trickling streams all rich with diverse wildlife. Take a walk across the eclectic landscape of Great Sand Dunes National Park, and you’ll discover wildflower meadows bursting with color, alpine forest ripe with vital mountain pass creeks and, of course, dunes.

In this high desert, temperatures can fluctuate from heat wave highs to sub-zero lows. And though it may appear barren from afar, get your feet sandy among the rising and falling mounds, and you’ll uncover tracks of all kinds. Visitors come year round to trek into the constantly evolving dunes, to remember what it’s like to play and be a kid again, to experience a valued prize of primitive America. So what are you waiting for — kick your shoes off and step out.