National Park · Colorado, United States
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a national park in Colorado, United States, covering 107,337 acres (43,438 ha), established in 2004; it recorded 432,498 visits in 2025.
Photo: Lionello DelPiccolo liodp via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Colorado, United States |
| Area | 107,337 acres (43,438 ha) |
| Established | 2004 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 432,498 |
| Coordinates | 37.7300° N, 105.5100° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a national park of the United States that conserves an area of large sand dunes on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, and an adjacent national preserve in the Sangre de Cristo Range, in south-central Colorado. The park was originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument on March 17, 1932, by President Herbert Hoover. The original boundaries protected an area of 35,528 acres (55.5 sq mi; 143.8 km2). A boundary change and redesignation as a national park and preserve was authorized on November 22, 2000, and then established on September 24, 2004.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
May to September — warm days; Medano Creek flows in late spring
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Mosca, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | San Luis Valley Regional Airport |
| Getting there | Mosca Pass Trail is a 7 mi (11 km) roundtrip hike that follows a small creek through aspen and evergreen forests to Mosca Pass—elevation 9,737 ft (2,968 m)—in the Sangre de Cristo Range. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes — 88 sites |
|---|
Famous trails
- Mosca Pass Trail — 6.5 miles (10.5 km) — Moderate
Like Great Sand Dunes National Park? Visit Great Sand Dunes National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) · Colorado Springs, United States · 86.3 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Colorado
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Great Sand Dunes National Park?
Great Sand Dunes National Park is in Colorado, United States (37.7300° N, 105.5100° W).
When was Great Sand Dunes National Park established?
Great Sand Dunes National Park was established in 2004, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Great Sand Dunes National Park?
Great Sand Dunes National Park covers 107,337 acres (43,438 ha).
How many people visit Great Sand Dunes National Park each year?
It recorded 432,498 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park?
May to September — warm days; Medano Creek flows in late spring.
Does Great Sand Dunes National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Great Sand Dunes National Park has campgrounds with 88 sites.
How do I get to Great Sand Dunes National Park?
The nearest town is Mosca, Colorado. The nearest airport is San Luis Valley Regional Airport. Mosca Pass Trail is a 7 mi (11 km) roundtrip hike that follows a small creek through aspen and evergreen forests to Mosca Pass—elevation 9,737 ft (2,968 m)—in the Sangre de Cristo Range.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sand_Dunes_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/grsa/ — Official park page.