You can experience the Great Sand Dunes by Sandboarding, Swimming in Medano Creek or Participating in the Ranger Programs. We did all three. As a bonus, we hit up Capulin Volcano enroute!
We are on a 7,000 mile Great American Road trip. You can catch up on the Amarillo update here. Amarillo Texas home of the 72 ounce steak challenge and nearby Alibates National Monument.
Heading North West out of Amarillo we crossed into New Mexico. A short detour off our route towards Great Sand Dunes took us to Capulin Volcano.
Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico
Capulin Volcano is a young volcano so it has a well preserved cone shape. At the Visitor Center we unhooked our camper for the short drive to the top.
Hiking around the rim of volcano is short 1 mile hike, however the 12% incline and full sun makes it a bridge too far for the kiddos so dad went solo.
You can smell the sweet scent of Juniper and Pine as the breeze hugs the crater and moves swiftly through a stand of trees at the north western edge of the Rim. Well worth the hike.
Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
With a 3 hour excursion complete, 2 new Jr. Ranger badges and a short nap for Dad, we drove to the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado.
The Great Sand Dunes are the Tallest Sand dunes in North America. Since it is a certified dark sky area in a remote part of South Western Colorado, you can see the entire milky way on a moonless night.
Dune Boarding
One of the best way to experience the Dunes is to go Dune Boarding. You can rent Dune Boards from a shop just out side the Park for $20 / day.
Pinon Flats Campground
We stayed at Pinon Flats Campground in the Park. The campsites are dry camping (like most National Parks), but well worth it to go to bed and wake up to views like this.
Ranger Programs
The Ranger programs at Great Sand dunes offered a brief history of the Archeology of the area. We got to try our hand at a ancient hunting method using the Atlatl spear. (Cool spelling for those from ATL).
The evening program is the highlight. Ranger Patrick put on a great presentation about Sand Dunes and Astronomy. At the end, you can touch actual rocks from the Moon and Mars. Pretty cool!
Zapata Falls
A great side trek, is to hike up to the nearby Zapata Falls. Only a few miles from the park you can hike up to an elevation of 9,000 feet to see some pretty awesome waterfalls.
Arrive early if you want to avoid crowds. Arrive mid-day if you are looking for an activity to do in the heat of the day when it is far to hot to be hiking out on the dunes.
The Falls cascade down into a creek bed that lies in a shady valley. The water comes from melted snow so it icy cold and totally refreshing.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Great Sand Dunes. Have you ever been there? Share your stories!
