The dunes at Great Sand Dunes NP
The purples, orange and pinks of the sky illuminated the sky. It was breathtaking. As we sat on the sand with the two dogs, we just took it all in. The giant mountains of sand, the magnificent sky and the colors. It was a perfect sunset. Sounds like maybe a beach in Hawaii, doesn’t it? Or maybe southern California? Who would have thought you could have such a magical moment in land-locked Colorado? But in fact, this perfect sunset took place at Great Sand Dunes National Park in southeast Colorado, home of the tallest sand dunes in North America.
The morning after our perfect sunset, we returned to do some serious exploration of the dunes. Pulling into the Dunes parking lot located just 1.5 miles from the entrance, we surveyed the peaks, valleys, ridges that went on and on as far as the eye could see. Beginning our hike, we crossed through Medano Creek, walking gingerly across the uneven ice, then traipsing through the two inches of water that was flowing across the sand. Watching the groups of people head towards the dunes, I was reminded of a pilgrimage, like people in the middle east flocking to a holy place. A family with small children. Two guys in shorts and hoodies who looked like the fled the college campus for the weekend. An older couple enjoying a romantic weekend away. Young and old, brisk hikers, and leisurely strollers all making their way into these majestic dunes.
Our goal — High Dune, aptly named as the highest dune in the park, rising 700 feet from the parking area. The great thing about hiking in the dunes is there is no set trail, no one way to ascend. And its pretty darned hard to get lost, as there is no forest or trees, and from just about any vantage point, you can see the parking area down below. But as we quickly found out, there is a strategy to making your way up the dunes. Hiking the shortest route often leads you into trouble, because the sand is deep and soft. Trying to climb the sides of the dunes is an exercise in futility and exhaustion. One step forward literally does mean two steps back as you slide down the sides and have difficulty getting anywhere.
Sunset from the dunes
No, there is a method to the madness, and we found the method by following the spines of the dunes, where the sand was a bit firmer and easier to get some grip. Still despite this, I find myself on a particularly steep ridge halfway through our hike. The dogs, with their quadraped power, are having a much easier time of it than me, and I can’t keep up. My butt and calves are burning from the strain of sinking into the sand, and I finally start to make switchbacks back and forth in an effort to make any headway. After about 10 minutes of this, I finally reach a firmer part of the ridge, where the winds have compacted the sand, much like a cornice of snow on a mountain.
As recently as last week, they’ve had snow at the park, which still remains on some of the north-facing sand cirques. Though the temperatures in the last week have warmed considerably up into the 50s, there are still remants of the snow and ice along some of the ridgelines. This turns out to be a very good thing, as the frozen parts of the ridges provide the greatest purchase for my hiking boots.
As we near the “summit” of High Dune, I’m thankful I happened to research the hike on the Internet before our trip. Sand is everywhere, and it’s starting to blow harder as we climb higher. A helpful hiking blog post recommended wearing gaitors for a dune hike and we’ve heeded that advice. The gaitors which we typically wear for cross-country skiing to keep the snow out of our boots is now the one barrier preventing my boots from becoming minitaure sand boxes. However, there’s nothing to keep the sand from flying across my face, going in my ears, or coating my hair, a fact I would realize hours later in the car.
As you might imagine, coming down the dunes is much faster, and in many ways a lot more fun. We run down the soft sand. “Whoop, whoop! Wheeeeee!” I yell as I take long, galloping strides, my boots sinking in to the sand as I go. The dogs seem to relish this as well, loping along, ears flopping, a look of glee on their faces. We found out from reading the park newspaper that local sports stores actually rent special “sand sleds” and “sand boards” to provide for extra fun and adventure while descending the dunes. Maybe next time…
Before we know it, our hike is almost over as we are back at the creek once again. Our dog, Simon, with his furry, hobbit-like feet is obviously bothered by all the sand worked in between his pads and starts to nibble at them. I fill up a bowl of water and tenderly dip each paw into the water, working the sand out. Before I know it, the bowl is filled with as much sand as water. We load up the car, memories of our duny escape fresh in our minds.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is the last national park created by Congress in 2004, one of 58 national parks in the United States. It is located in southeast Colorado southwest of Pueblo, about a half-hour from nearby Alamosa. If you’re craving a beach-like adventure with a backdrop of 13,000 and 14,000-foot snowy peaks, it’s definitely worth your time and effort.
