Great Sand Dunes National Park

At Great Sand Dunes National Park, you can climb 13,000 foot mountain peaks, splash in the snow-melt streams and creeks, or sandboard down the tallest dunes in North America. The 58th U.S. national park was established in 2004, and encompasses more than 150,000 acres, including wetlands and grasslands that surround the dunes. The dunes lie on the site of an ancient lakebed; as it dried, opposing winds blew the leftover sand against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Juan Mountains creating the stunning vertical dunes you see today.

Activities include birdwatching, horseback riding, hiking, backpacking and bison tours. Great Sand Dunes National Park is accessible and offers wheelchair dune buggies as well as accessible campgrounds, including one backcountry campsite.