GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK NEAR ALAMOSA COLORADO

Currently in Alamosa CO (Low 40 Mostly Cloudy with a Shower High 73) 

When we arrived at the KOA in Alamosa we saw the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains in the distance and what appeared to be sand.

We found out that sand was the Great Sand Dunes National Park. A beautiful day yesterday so we decided to visit. We got to the park and the visitors center where we saw an excellent film.

Here we are outside of the visitors center.

A little background on the Great Sand Dunes National Park. It is known for huge dunes, reported to be the tallest dunes in the North American continent at 750' and covering 30 square miles. You knew it had to be large for us to see them from about 23 miles away as the crow flies. Although huge it is only about 11% of the sand in the area.

Over time the Sangre de Cristo range blocked the wind that was moving sand from the lower elevations so the sand ended up deposited at the base of the range showing here.

This is a windy area so the sand is continually deposited in the higher elevations where it returns to the dunes during the spring runoff of the winter snow on a creek on each side of the dunes, kind of a sand recycling effort. Here is the Medano Creek dunes area.
The sand here is reportedly 35' below the water you see.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is home to the Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle, from a picture in the visitors center. In fact this is the only place in the world you can find this beetle.

Here is a better picture from the web of this unique beetle.

Some more great scenery shots.

We had a great time visiting this gem of a National Park in southern Colorado.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo