Dunes and Crestone Peaks at Sunset. Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers
- Entrance
- $25 per car
- Nonresident fee
- None
- Park annual pass
- $45, U.S. residents
- Payment
- Card or cash
Work out the cost for your group
About Great Sand Dunes
The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Stay on a moonless night to experience countless stars in this International Dark Sky Park! Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round. There are no timed entries or reservations to visit.
Things to do
-
4WD Medano Pass Primitive Road
Drive a a 4WD around the eastern edge of the dunes then over a forested mountain pass.
-
Experience the Night
Half the park is after dark! Night at Great Sand Dunes can include dunes exploration under a bright full moon, viewing thousands of stars on a clear moonless night, listening for owls along the foothills, or observing…
-
Explore the Dunes
Explore the tallest dunes in North America!
-
Hike Medano Lake and Mount Herard
Take your 4WD vehicle around the dunes and up to Medano Pass, hike to a small alpine lake, then continue to the summit of 13,297 ft (4,053 m) Mount Herard for an aerial perspective on the entire dunefield!
-
Hike Montville Nature Trail or Mosca Pass Trail
Just above the dunefield are montane woodlands of pinon and ponderosa pine, subalpine aspen and conifer forests, alpine lakes and rugged mountains over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation.
-
Hike Sand Creek Lakes
Sand Creek Lakes are part of the alpine watershed of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve.
Photos
Girls Sand Sledding Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers 
Lower Sand Creek Lake, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve Photo: NPS/Kris Illenberger 
Upper Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Preserve Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers 
Fall Colors Along Mosca Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers 
Gold Cottonwoods, Dunes, and Cleveland Peak Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers
Entrance fees
| Type | Price | Valid for | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $25 | 7 days | All year |
| Per person, 16 and over | $15 | 7 days | All year |
Park annual pass
If you visit Great Sand Dunes more than once in a year, consider purchasing an annual pass to save money. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass admits the pass holder(s) and all family members in the vehicle into the park for one year from date of purchase.
A park's own annual pass is sold to U.S. citizens and residents only. A U.S. resident who holds one covers everyone in their private vehicle, including nonresident passengers.
Reservations
NPS lists no entry reservation for this park as of October 26, 2026. Campgrounds and tours may still need booking.
Weather and seasons
Temperatures are relatively cool all year at the park elevation 8000 ft. Conditions are most often calm, but winds can arise, especially in spring and during storm fronts. Daytime temperatures feel warmer here year round due to intense high-altitude sunlight, and mid-day summer sand surface temps can be 160 degrees F! Plan to explore the dunes morning or evening during summer. Nights are cool in summer, and frigid in winter. Visit https://nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/weather.htm for details
Hours
The park and preserve are open 24/7 all year
Getting there
To access the main park area, including the Dunes Parking Lot, Visitor Center, and Pinon Flats Campground, take US 160 to CO 150 from the south, or CO 17 to Lane 6 to CO 150 from the west. The national park is at the north end of CO 150.
Campgrounds
- Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or ForestBook on Recreation.gov
- Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
- Piñon Flats CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
Visitor centers
Alerts
- Caution: Creek Crossings on Medano Pass Primitive Road Have Deep and Swift Water
- Information: Great Sand Dunes Currently at Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
- Caution: Speed Limits are Much Lower Inside Park than Surrounding Highways
- Information: Sand Board and Sand Sled Rentals Not Available In Park.
- Information: Piñon Flats Campground, sites can be reserved 3 months in advance for 2026
Parks nearby
Sources
Prices checked by hand against the park's fees page on October 26, 2026 (page last updated September 17, 2026).