Logistics
When we took a look at our trusty National Parks guide by National Geographic earlier this year, we discovered that there were three National Parks that we hadn't been to in Colorado. Now my husband travels to Colorado on business several times a year and we had been to Rocky Mountain National Park https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4162636094834192500#editor/target=post;postID=985909292684235588;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=10;src=postname
We had traveled to the summit of Pikes Peak, went white water rafting on the Arkansas River near Royal Gorge, and had visited Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction.....but in all of that we had never traveled to the southern part of the state to see Great Sand Dunes National Park or Mesa Verde or Black Canyon of the Gunnison. In fact we weren't even sure where they were exactly! It was time to remedy this!
National Park Pass
We had a quick 5 day window to get to these parks so we wanted to be sure that we planned ahead to make sure it was doable. After we determined that the logistics worked, the first thing we did (after booking our hotels) was to order our National Park Pass for the 2015 season. If you are going to be visiting several National Parks in a year, I would highly recommend purchasing the National Park Pass. The cost is $80.00 for a year and allows your vehicle and it's passengers (up to 4 passengers if the park charges per person) into any of the National Parks or National Monuments. Since there is an entry fee charged at most parks, this pass can save you money. It is also worth noting that U.S. Military families can get the annual pass free of charge and if you are a senior 62 or older, you can get a lifetime pass for $10.00. Simply fill out the application on the website, provide payment (and proof of age if a senior) and your pass will be sent to you in the mail. Just be sure to give yourself enough time between ordering and when you will be traveling. http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm
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| The Spanish Peaks - Sangre De Cristo Mountains |
Day 1 - Arrival
Our first day was a travel day. We took an early flight to Denver arriving at 10:19 AM MT. This gave us plenty of time to travel to our destination and position ourselves for an early morning start on Day 2. We had time to stop for lunch and a quick shopping excursion (it isn't vacation without shopping!) before heading to our final destination of Alamosa, Colorado.
Drive time from Denver to Alamosa (excluding stops) was approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes. The drive was not a difficult one and you pass through some beautiful scenery. Such as the Spanish Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There is little around though once you turn west from I-25 to Route 50. Be sure that you have gas in your vehicle and any snacks or drinks that you may want.
Hampton Inn Alamosa
We checked into the Hampton Inn Alamosa by early evening. We had reserved a King Studio Suite and were very pleasantly surprised by how nice the room was. This was probably the largest room I have stayed in at a Hampton Inn. There was a nice sitting area with large screen LCD tv attached to the office space which separated the bedroom from the sitting area. (This was essential since, due to bad planning on our part, we were traveling during the NBA playoffs and my Cavaliers were playing that evening!) The bathroom was spacious and had a sink area just outside the bathroom itself. The location was also good as it was near a plaza with many dining options. The drive time from Alamosa to Great Sand Dunes National park was about 40 minutes. It involved a little back tracking but was the closest city to the park.  |
| Our First View of the Sand Dunes while approaching the park |
Day 2.1 - Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve ($3.00/adult over 16)
Our original plan was to head to Great Sand Dunes the evening of our arrival so we could see sunset at this park. However, that wasn't to be as a strong line of storms came through around that time and caused us to change our plans. (Little did we know that this would be the theme of this entire adventure!) So we got up early, grabbed a quick bite to eat at the hotel for breakfast and headed off to check out Great Sand Dunes.
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| The Sand Dunes with the Creek Flowing |
We arrived at the park a little before 9:00 AM so the visitor's center wasn't open yet. I would highly recommend stopping at the Visitor's Center first if it is open when you arrive. It's a good place to get oriented. It also has some nice views as well as very nice/clean restrooms.
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| Observation Deck |
We headed to the parking area just beyond the Visitor's Center to start our exploration. Parking spaces were plentiful and it was an easy walk to the view areas. Since it was still spring, there was plenty of snow melt and the creek was flowing pretty good between the viewing area and the sand dunes themselves. If you plan on hiking over to the sand dunes, just be aware that the water from the snow melt is very cold and you have to walk through it to get
to the dunes themselves! While we didn't make the hike over, I did feel the water temperature after I heard many screams from people crossing!
This area is absolutely beautiful. The dunes are very large and impressive, the mountains snow-capped and massive in the background, the sound of only the water in the creek in the stillness. It was one of those awe-inspiring moments when you have to stand back and just look and listen.
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| Look carefully at this picture - you will see a hiker just getting ready to climb the dune - this is how high they are! |
There are many other pullouts along the roadway. Each offers a slightly different view of the area as well as informative signage about the ecosystems and how the dunes came to be.
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| The Visitor's Center |
While this park is not nearly as large as some of the other National Parks, we really enjoyed our visit here. We stayed about 2-3 hours, taking pictures, stopping at the pullouts and Visitor's Center, and just enjoying the beauty. If you are a hiker and would like to go to the top of the dunes, be prepared to add additional time to your stay. There are even ways to snowboard down the dunes!
I would recommend this park for families of all ages!
COMING NEXT:
THE LESSER VISITED NATIONAL PARKS - FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT
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