At the feet of the San de Cristo Mountains in Colorado are the largest sand dunes in North America. Winds change the shape of the dunes daily and the landscape always has a new view or adventure. The park is great for hiking that’s a bit of a challenging change of pace. If you’ve ever hiked in sand, you how difficult it can be. Add the large dunes (Star Dune tops out at over 750 feet tall) and you’re sure to get a workout even traveling a short distance. 

And the park is even great for floating in the seasonal Medano Creek. But make sure you visit in late May or early June. There you’ll experience the most volume until the creek disappears again for the year.

Established as a national park in 2000, the park has generally pleasant summertime temperatures, although you’ll always want to be mindful of the sun as there is generally no shade to speak of. Overcrowding is generally not an issue, and if you plan it right you can do most of the park’s attractions in a day. Summertime is the best time to visit as average highs in the winter can reach only the 30s.