If you have not yet visited the Great Sand Dunes, what are you waiting for? This landmark Colorado feature is only about a 2.5 hour drive from Woodland Park, which is a bit far for a day trip so staying for an overnight (or more) is the best option to fully explore and enjoy the area.

The Great Sand Dunes lie in the massive San Luis Valley, a high mountain valley rich in agriculture and wildlife refuges, framed within the mighty Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountain Ranges. The very popular Pinyon Flats Campground in the Park requires reservations far in advance of a visit. Many other lodging options are also available nearby in Alamosa and Monte Vista.

From Woodland Park, an expedition to the Dunes is best executed with a loop drive that will reveal unique scenery all along the way. From Colorado Springs drive south on I-25, jetting through Pueblo and across the dry grasslands to Walsenburg. Exit the Interstate and continue westward on Highway 160, part of the scenic Highway of Legends. Climb up and over La Veta Pass and around the south end of the Blanca complex which houses a quad of 14ers: Blanca, Ellingwood, Little Bear and Lindsey.

Drop into the San Luis Valley then turn north on Highway 150 that leads to the Dunes. The National Park is well suited for family adventures, with an informative Visitor Center providing tips on exploring the Dunes. An ideal time to visit is May and June when snow runoff inspires Medano Creek to flow across the Dunes. Kids and adults alike will love wading across the creek, where the sandy terrain causes the water to flow in waves as if the creek was a channel of ocean shoreline. As summer progresses and the runoff fades, the Dunes absorb the creek into their sandy surface.

The Montville Nature Trail is a great option for a family friendly hike. Mosca Creek flows through the area, feeding a large shady aspen grove that serves as an oasis for local and migrating birds amid a dry landscape dominated by shrubland and pinyon-juniper woodland. To execute the hike as a mini-loop, from the trailhead near the Visitor Center hike eastward on the Mosca Pass Trail and bear right to stay along the creek for about a quarter mile to a bridge. Note that the Mosca Pass Trail continues eastward along the creek, another worthy hike option that climbs about 1500 feet over about three miles up to Mosca Pass.

To continue the Montville loop, veer left across the bridge and after about 100 feet hit a trail intersection. To the right, the Wellington Ditch Trail swings west then northward to the Pinyon Flats Campground. If desired, an out-and-back hike along Wellington Ditch adds about 1.5 miles to the hike distance.

Back at the trail intersection, the Montville Nature Trail cuts left and heads northwest, skirting the edge of shrubland. The trail then swings left back into the riparian woodland and across the creek, returning to the trailhead after about another quarter mile.

The Park can get quite busy in the summer, so a spring or fall visit tends to be less crowded. From early March to mid-April, tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes migrate through the San Luis Valley. To view this ancient wildlife spectacle, visit the wildlife refuges near Alamosa and Monte Vista. The Crane’s courtship dancing behaviors peak in mid-March, when the City of Monte Vista also has an annual Crane Festival (mvcranefest.org).

For the return trip from the Dunes to Woodland Park, close the loop on the auto tour by driving northward on Highway 17 up the San Luis Valley, approaching the edge of the Sangre de Cristos then connecting to Highway 285. Travel northward on 285 up and over Poncha Pass and onward to Buena Vista, then swing east to head across South Park and back to Teller County.

Joe LaFleur has lived in Woodland Park since 2016 and is a hiking enthusiast that hits the trails weekly. He has successfully summited over 150 unique 13ers and 14ers in Colorado. Contact Joe with questions or feedback at joe@betterbirdwatching.com. Hiking is great exercise but can be hazardous. Always be sure to plan well, check the weather, bring a printed map, tell someone where and when you are going and contact them n you return safely.

BOX

PARK: Great Sand Dunes National Park

BEST TIMES TO VISIT: March through November

TRAILS: Mosca Pass, Montville, Wellington Ditch

LENGTH: Montville Nature Trail- about a half mile loop on relatively flat terrain, Wellington Ditch- about 1.5 miles out and back on relatively flat terrain, Mosca Pass- about six miles out and back and about 1500 feet elevation gain

DIFFICULTY: Montville & Wellington Ditch- Easy, Mosca Pass- Moderate

NOTES: Icy and snowy conditions in spring and late fall may inhibit access to roads and trails. Be aware that the Dunes can get very hot in the summer.