Great Sand Dunes

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Colorado No photograph could have prepared us for the scale of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. When we arrived just before sunset, the height of the stark, buff-colored, wind-sculpted dunes was emphasized by the flat, scrub open rangeland in the foreground, the deep shadows that sculpted their form, and by the dark blue-green Sangre de Cristo Mountains rising behind them. Storm clouds swirled dramatically around the snow-topped mountains, where snow had fallen earlier in the day.

Although there are mountain, woodland and wetland trails in the 30 square miles of dunes, we chose the undesignated trails along the ridges and concavities created by the winds.

We wandered into the dunes, a big sandbox where many children, including some teens and adults, run, roll and slide. Our progress was slow as we struggled up ridgelines in the footsteps of others. But once we stepped away from this soft sand, we discovered that the rain and snow from the two preceding days made the sand firm and easy for walking. We enjoyed watching children "sledding" down the steep sides of the dunes on plastic snow dishes. One family's large dog struggled to climb back up--his paws sinking deep into the sand--but he made it with the assistance of a young girl pushing from behind.

Navigating the deceptive dunes was a challenge as there were no clues if a ridge would end precipitously, or if a valley would narrow to a shifting, vertical wall. Instead of climbing to High Dune where most others were going, we headed in the opposite direction toward the mountains. The wind picked up as we reached higher points, whipping a little sand in our faces. Sitting just below a crest and out of the wind, we ate lunch and watched others--their size diminished to lilliputian scale by distance and backdrop--struggle up the dunes.

High Dune (650 ft.)is neither the highest in elevation nor the tallest in the park. The Star Dune, at 750 feet, the tallest dune in North America. The dunefield is only 11 percent of the enormous sand deposit that covers more than 330 square miles. In addition to the dunefield, there is a vast sand sheet with grasses and low shrubs that surrounds the dunes and make up about 53 percent of the sand deposit. South and west of the dunefield is a salt-encrusted plain punctuated by wetlands called "sabkha" that comprises about 35 percent of the sand deposit. Saltbrush and saltgrass are among the few plants that can grow in this harsh environment.

Descending from the mountains to encircle the dunefield are two creeks: Medano and Sand Creeks. They are critical in recycling the sand by moving huge quantities of sand downstream. The water disappears into the ground, leaving sand on the surface. Winds pick up the deposits of sand and then loses velocity at the Sangre de Cristo Range, and the sand is deposited on the east edge of the valley. Although this process continually changes their shape, the aggregate volume of the dunes remain relatively stable.

The Great Sand Dunes Lodge (7,515 ft) where we stayed was full, and many others had driven in for the beautiful Sunday. The unusual warm weather has kept the park and lodging busy so that the only nearby restaurant, the Oasis, which normally closes at the end of September, is staying open later, on a day-by-day basis.

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Comments

[stephen franzen]

The Colorado photos are very dramatic. Prize winners.

[Backpacking by Car]

Thanks!
The sand dunes are a great subject.

[Larry Bieber]

Lovely!
Great pictures!! Our daughter lived for 3 years in Alamosa about 10 years ago, so we visited the area frequently and went several times to the Sand Dunes (actually before they became a national park). What a remarkable area.