The dunes cover an area of about 30 sq mi (78 km2) and are estimated to contain over 1.2 cubic miles (5 billion cubic metres) of sand. Two spring-fed creeks in the sand sheet along with a few small lakes in the valley's sabkha section southwest of the dunes create a wetland that nurtures wildlife. Many animals visit the dunes from other habitats, including elk, pronghorn, bison, coyotes, bobcats, and raptors. [15], Most of the national park and the entire national preserve are open to horseback riding and pack animals. Great Sand Dunes National Monument was established in 1932 to protect the tallest dunes in North America. Subalpine forest extends from 9,500 ft (2,900 m) to tree line at 11,700 ft (3,600 m). Samples of sand from deep in the dunes have returned OSL dates varying between a few hundred years to tens of thousands of years old. Great Sand Dunes National Park protects the tallest sand dunes found anywhere in North America. Hike the striking High Dune on First Ridge, a 2-hour, 2.5-mile round trip walk up 699 feet of sand to the top. Many species nest in the mountains, forests, grasslands, or wetlands during the summer. Sisterhood sponsored a bill to Congress asking for national monument status for Great Sand Dunes. [1] The recreational visitor total was 527,546 in 2019. This method takes core samples of sand from deep within a dune, and attempts to measure how long quartz grains have been buried in the dark. 7800 Highway 150 North Mosca Colorado 81146 Phone: 719-378-2222 [6] Elevations range from 7,515 ft (2,291 m) in the valley west of the dunes, to 13,604 ft (4,146 m) at the summit of Tijeras Peak in the northern part of the preserve. Large amounts of sediment from the volcanic San Juan Mountains continued to wash down into these lakes, along with some sand from the Sangre de Cristo Range. The plan is to complete the park, making it fully accessible to the public, by acquiring the final piece of privately-held land located within the current park boundaries. The plan, which also outlines how elk within Great Sand Dunes are to be managed, gained final approval Monday. All national park horse camping areas are in the wilderness in designated backcountry campsites or other wilderness areas at least 0.25 mi (0.4 km) from roads or trails. [44] The road winds around the eastern side of the dunefield, up through a forested mountain canyon inside the National Preserve, and then over Medano Pass—elevation 9,982 ft (3,043 m)[6]—at the 11.2 mi (18.0 km) mark. [11] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the Great Sand Dunes as a protected landscape (management category V) in 2000, including the national park, the preserve, and the adjacent Baca National Wildlife Refuge. Jicarilla Apaches settled in northern New Mexico and called the dunes Sei-anyedi (it goes up and down). [30][31], Inland saltgrass is the primary type of grass around sabkha wetlands in the park. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mosca: Address, Phone Number, Great Sand Dunes National Park Reviews: 4.5/5 High Dune Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado Mention Colorado, and the last thing most people think of are sand dunes—most of us picture the lofty peaks and crystal clear streams of the Rocky Mountains, but located in the southeast corner of the state is a desert oasis called Great Sand Dunes National Park. [8], The dunefield is composed of reversing dunes, transverse dunes—also called crescentic or barchan dunes—and star dunes. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve contains the tallest sand dunes in North America. Still pushing southwest, and confused about the location of the Arkansas River, Pike crossed the Sangre de Cristos just above the Great Sand Dunes. Once we arrived at the Great Sand Dunes Oasis RV Park, however, things improved significantly. Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of southern Colorado, lies the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The San Juan Mountains to the west of the valley were created through extended and dramatic volcanic activity. Most of America's national parks are located in mountainous areas. Sand dunes with Sangre de Cristo Range in background, Great Sand Dunes National Park, photo courtesy NSP, flickr Overview In 2019, Charlie and I had planned on visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park, along with three other National Parks we had not yet visited.However, a couple of falls on surfaces harder than my head forced us to cancel our trip. Rio Grande cutthroat trout are found in Medano Creek. Massive sand dunes allow everyone to play and enjoy. [47] Other game species include turkey, bear, bighorn sheep, elk and mule deer. 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