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December 2023 by Timothy Shipley
Must see! Absolutely gorgeous! It's very tiresome, but that's to be expected. I wouldn't recommend renting a sled in the winter, seeing as you have to pay extra if it touches snow. That said, there is nothing more exciting than flying down these hills. Keep me mind, it is almost impossible to leave here without you and all your friends covered in sand! I can't wait to go again with my camera if I can it's absolutely beautiful! I also love the visitors center. It has a good gift shop and an amazing view. You also learn a lot about how they were formed and the significance to other cultures. 10/10 recommend
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December 2023 by Bob Davidson
We only had a few hours here and went partly up the dune. Appears to be a lot more to do here. I will be back.
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October 2023 by N D
The Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center is a great place to start your visit to the park. The center has a variety of exhibits on the park's geology, history, and wildlife. There is also a film that shows the park's beauty and its importance to the ecosystem.The staff at the visitor center is very friendly and helpful. They can answer any questions you have about the park and recommend activities and trails that are right for you.The visitor center also has a bookstore where you can buy souvenirs, maps, and guidebooks.Here are some additional tips for visiting the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center:The visitor center is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.The visitor center is located just outside of the park entrance.The visitor center is wheelchair accessible.There are restrooms available at the visitor center.There is a picnic area behind the visitor center.Overall, the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center is a great resource for visitors to the park. It is a great place to learn about the park and plan your activities. I highly recommend visiting the visitor center before you start your exploration of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
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October 2023 by Lavonna Skeans
Awesome place. Stop at Zapata Falls. Short hike but, wading a creek. Be sure to go all the way in to see the top falls.
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September 2023 by Kristy McHenry
Had an absolute blast here - a mindblowing environment! The signs on the nature trail are a true testament to just how brutal the sun is in here. We were bummed to have missed out but it seems there is a lot of updates coming to the visitor center so we are excited to return/experience them in the future. Hiking the dunes is NO JOKE! Mesmerizing, stunning...the list goes on.
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August 2023 by Rick Shaw
A wonderful pitstop on the road! While I didn't climb the peak it was amazing to climb to where I was and the views were stupendous!Bring closed shoes and hiking poles if you plan on going up past 8500ft. ?
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August 2023 by H C
Tourist trap. It's decent enough, crowded, and the ac isn't great with all the doors opening all the time. The exhibit is neat inside. Didn't go to shop, but some peeps in the crew bought stuff. Water refill station is great (wish there was more than one).The signage on the trail is not maintained, but the views are great.
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July 2023 by Dave Hammer
Really awesome to see once. But fair warning. There are swarms of mosquitoes I haven't seen the likes of even up north or in nothern Minnesota. Millions. We went out before dark and came back to the trees literally humming. There was crazy swarms attacking us as we ran to the truck. The dunes themselves were awesome and we walked about a mile up them just short of the top. Going when we did made the walk comfortable but the mosquitos overshadowed a good time.
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July 2023 by Kelli Gilbert
Disappointed that the automatic/accessible doors did not work and were heavy to open manually. In general, not a very accessible place to visit. Small bathroom in the visitor center but well maintained. There are other restrooms and porta potties nearer the dunes themselves. Small number of interesting exhibits. Got most of our info from the map given to us at the entrance gate ($25 fee), which is good because rangers in the visitor center are there to ring up your purchases from the gift shop, altho I did see a room to the side where there appeared to be folks listening to a presentation. It just wasn't terribly clear what was going on, when it started, etc. Pretty chaotic scene for a weekday. Enjoyed the dunes and Medano Creek though, so still recommend. It seemed there might be more to explore (trails, wildlife, etc.) if we had done some more research ahead of time. Ours was more of a spontaneous visit.
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July 2023 by Shivdatta Patil
Best NP for star gazing!! I’m glad we could attend a great session with park rangers on a clear sky, they had binoculars and telescope which made the experience extra fun
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July 2023 by Steve Anderson
The crowds are a lot bigger than when we were here last 13 years ago. At 9 am we were in line for 20 mins to enter the park. The entrance fee was $25 but it is good for 7 days. Parking is limited so be prepared to walk a ways or not find any place to park at all. It is a beautiful park and the rangers are friendly and helpful. It is a must see on anyone's bucket list.
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June 2023 by Billie Evans
Spectacular!I'm so glad I read reviews. People are not kidding when they say get there early. On a week day. Not a holidayWe've traveled on a motorcycle from Richmond Virginia to the Grand Canyon and we are slowly heading back east. This National Park was on our to do list. It is Saturday, Memorial weekend. There was a 13 minute backup delay at the entrance going in at 10. Coming out at 12:30, the line of cars stopped, waiting to enter, is over a mile long. CRAZY!The park rangers were not letting cars go down to the parking lot to the dunes, because it was full. We were allowed to go down on the bike. Otherwise, its parking on the side of the main road and walking a half mile or more.Once we parked, we took off our shoes, rolled up our pants, walked across the rushing stream and went up the first hill. The water was cool, inviting.Families are all around, kids digging in the sand, splashing in the water. It's the beach in a vast, land locked area.Definitely worth the trip. I cant stress enough the importance of going early. On a weekday. Not on a holiday.
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May 2023 by Jessica V
This park is one of a kind. Beautiful views all around. The feeling of a beach in the mountains. Make sure to make the hike up to Zapata Falls. And take a plastic sled or board for the dunes. There is something to do here for all ages and enjoy.
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January 2023 by Katie Vincent
Beautiful national park with great views! It will be windy, so prepare accordingly. Also a hike on sand takes longer so if you’re going up the dunes give yourself ample time. However there is plenty of flatter terrain to hike as well.
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January 2023 by Eden Foster
Our trip from Colorado Springs to the Sand dunes took a little longer than anticipated. The visitors center was closed when we arrived. However the sand dunes are still an amazing sight to see. Sometimes there's water at the bottom which there was this time when we went. This was my kids first time seeing them they loved climbing up and down them and running down the hill. You can even bring a sled to sled down the hill. You can also hike to the top dune. I did this as a teenager and the view is amazing. However it takes several hours and it's very hot and hard to walk in the sand so bring lots of water!
