Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Elk are sometimes seen by visitors along the park entrance road or County Lane 6, primarily fall through spring.
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.
Map showing location of park.
A large group of Hispanic dancers in Mexican dress stand in front of the dunes
Great Sand Dunes to Host Hispanic Culture Event Sept. 18
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area welcome visitors to experience the Hispanic culture of the San Luis Valley through a series of music and dance performances Friday, Sept. 18, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Great Sand Dunes Piñon Flats Amphitheater.
A colorful shis with green, red and blues and distinct black spots seen from above swimming in a shallow sandy stream bed
Lower Sand Creek corridor to close temporarily for native trout restoration
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will temporarily close the area within 20 yards of Sand Creek between the Music Pass Trail and Sand Ramp Trail from July 26 through August 2 while crews conduct a native trout restoration project.
A Park ranger in green and grey uniform with straw ranger hat leans over a table to help a child with a magnetic sand activity
Great Sand Dunes Celebrates Junior Ranger Day Saturday Aug. 1st
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is celebrating the annual Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Eight people stand with shovels next to a pile of soil while out in front of a house
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Breaks Ground on Housing Rehabilitation Project
The National Park Service broke ground today on an approximately $14 million project to rehabilitate employee housing at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Partners, including the National Park Foundation, joined NPS leadership and elected officials for a ceremonial event marking the start of long-needed improvements.
Grasslands, large dunes, and snow-capped peaks at sunset
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers
Girls Sand Sledding
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers
Elk, Grasslands, Dunes, and Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Photo by
Lower Sand Creek Lake, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
Photo by NPS/Kris Illenberger
Upper Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers
Fall Colors Along Mosca Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers
Gold cottonwood trees, large dunes, a silver cloud, and snow-capped mountain
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers
A teen girl sits on a floatation device
Photo by NPS/Patrick Myers