Sand Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park

Did you know there is a 30 square mile area in the middle of the United States with towering sand dunes over 700ft tall? We never heard of the Great Sand Dunes National Park but after seeing photos of it, especially shots of people sand sledding, we knew we had to make the trip. It’s a bit out of the way and not close to any major cities (2.5 hours from Colorado Springs) but it still draws the crowds during peak season.

Entering the National Park

We arrived around 11am on a Saturday during Memorial Day weekend and the line of cars to get in was long. We were told it could be up to a 2 hour wait, but luckily it just was a bit over an hour. As with all national parks, there is a per vehicle fee to get in ($25 when we were there), but free with an annual pass. Once in the park, there is a visitor center area that we passed over followed by the main dunes access and picnic parking area.

When we arrived, there were vehicles parked all along the roads but rangers directed us into the lot as pots were available. We assume it must have filled up fast earlier in the day and people had left by the time we arrived. After parking and preparing for the dunes (take a lot of water and sunscreen as the landscape is intense), we started the long trek over.

Medano Creek

First up, the shallow and fast moving Medano Creek which forms in late Spring/early Summer from mountain runoff. This was the busiest area of the park as families setup along the creek to enjoy the day playing in the water.

The Walk to the Dunes

Past the creek, you have just over a half mile walk in flat sand to reach the start of the dunes. From there, many different paths and varying sizes of dunes are available to choose from. You find out quickly that hiking up the dunes is hard work (especially if carrying dogs in backpacks!).

On steep inclines it was common to see groups taking breaks every few minutes to catch their breath. After many breaks, we made it up to a decently high peak of one of the dunes, but not nearly as high as others around us. The sand is very soft and comfortable to sit down and take a break in, but it also can get very hot in the summer. Winds can whip up the sand at any time making us take few breaks to shield ourselves and the dogs from the sand.

How To Rent Sand Sleds or Sand Surf Boards

A unique activity we knew we wanted to try was sand-boarding. You can rent specially designed sleds and snowboard style boards to cruise down the dunes’ slopes. This was a fun experience, but they can be difficult to rent during peak season. Here are a few tips:

• The National Park does not rent out sleds or boards but they do suggest rental shops on their site.
• We rented from the Oasis store just outside the park entrance for $20/day.
  • They open at 9am and you have to return by 6pm for a 1 day rental.
  • If you’re staying in the area you can do a 2 day rental for $40.
  • We arrived 10am and the line was SO long! They said it moves fast (20 min. ) but it took us an hour to get through.
  • They are not the most efficient shop, but they are closest to the park and have the most boards available. All boards are on a first come, first serve basis.
  • We saw many people renting boards in the evening and paying for 2 days so they would be ready to go the next morning without waiting in line. We’d highly recommend you do this if you are in the area.
  • There were several porta-potties here and a small snack shop.
• If you are coming in from the East/Interstate 25 you will pass Spin Drift Sand Board Rentals in Blanca. You can reserve boards ahead of time for a specific day. We stopped here but all boards has already been reserved for the day. This would definitely be the way to go if you come from this direction and can get a reservation.
• If you are coming in from the West there are 2 other shops in this area as well.

Tips for Dune Sledding

• Walking up the slopes is a lot of work. Be prepared to put in the effort if you want to get on some taller dunes
• You need to wax your board on each run and your rental shop should supply you with this.
• If you don’t have great balance, opt for the board over the surf board. Sledding is just as fine!
• Be prepared to get lots of sand in your shoes and just about everywhere.

We hope this helps you plan your next trip! Check out our outdoor adventure posts for more tips and trip ideas.