cupcakes and the cosmos
Colorado Local National Parks TRAVEL Weekend Recap

Great Sand Dunes National Park

After spending a perfect night and morning camping in the North Crestone campground (full post here), we were so excited to hit the road and head to the Great Sand Dunes National Park for our first ever adventure in sand sledding!

The Sand Dunes were quite close to our campground, but because of the mountains, the drive was still about an hour away. The views along the drive did not disappoint though.

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

It was a beautiful morning for some good old fashion Colorado exploring.
Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

As you approach the park, sight of the Sand Dunes looks oddly out of place, as they are nestled tightly between the rugged peaks of Crestone and the colorful Colorado planes. Definitely not something you would ever expect to see, but beautiful nonetheless.

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Upon arrival, the views are even more spectacular and jaw-dropping than you could imagine.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

For sand sledding, regular snow sleds are not recommended (they offer sand boards for rent instead). But because we like to save money where we can (and challenges don’t scare us 😉 ), we brought our own snow sled anyways.

While we didn’t go lightening fast, it was still one of the funnest ways we could think of to explore and experience the grandeur of the sand dunes there.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Allen sledding down the first dune we came to…he had such a blast! Just look at that grin from ear to ear!

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

The only con to sledding down the steepest dunes was that you also had to climb back up them. The struggle! But it was definitely worth it.

And then back down again you go! Over and over again.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

And a quick word to the wise, dress for warmer temperatures than you expect! Not only does the act of climbing up sand dunes work up a sweat, but the sand also reflects a lot of the Sun’s heat and warms you up from below. (I was definitely over-dressed for the occasion…you can see my rolled up pants and jacket tied around my waist in the pictures below.)

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Once getting over the first few sand dunes, we finally reached the top of the largest sand dune. And the views did not disappoint. It was inexplicably spectacular.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Along our hike, we also liked finding virgin edges and watching how the sand became striated and groomed by the wind. It’s amazing to think that the sand dunes are constantly changing and will never look the same from one moment to the next. Another visitor on another day would experience something completely unique and new from what we were seeing.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

At times we would stop just to watch the rippling effect of sand sliding down the dunes. It was quite mesmerizing.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Love exploring new and fascinating places with this guy! He’s my favorite.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Just a boy and his sled…

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

One of my favorite parts of exploring the Sand Dunes was finding these virigin areas, untouched by footprints. It’s so cool to think that you’re the first one to walk there that day. Imagine being one of the first people ever to walk here as an explorer hundreds of years ago…

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

My turn! I finally decided to try it out for myself. (The video, which isn’t included here, is hilarious! Especially the epic crash at the end! 😛 )

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Another fun activity was finding foot prints of little critters in the sand and trying to imagine what kind of animal they were and what their life looked like out here in the sand.

I wonder what these prints were (below)…a bird or a little mouse-like animal? What do you think?
Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

From a distance the sand looks so uniform and homogeneous. But up close, it’s as diverse and unique as humankind itself.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Here Allen was pretending he was in the world of Dune, where you have to walk in a funny, non-uniform pattern to confuse the sand worms and keep them from eating you. Haha!

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Climbing up the last hill before heading back down. Loved how peaceful and quite it was out here, away from the crowds.

Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com
Sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

After spending some quiet time and inner contemplation at the top of the last hill, we headed back down.

After a day full of climbing sand hills and sledding down, we were ready for some food. So we jumped in the car and headed back toward Boulder.

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

We planned to stop at a little pizza place in Buena Vista, but could’t wait…especially after seeing this giant ice cream cone sign.

Ice Cream Stop near Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Ice Cream Stop near Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

So we stopped for a couple chocolate road malts for the rest of our drive toward pizza. It only made sense, right?!

Ice Cream Stop near Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Ice Cream Stop near Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Allen double-fisting. I’m sensing he must’ve like it. 😉

Ice Cream Stop near Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Finally made it to Eddyline Brewery for pizza! There’s nothing quite like a full day of adventuring to really work up an appetite.

Pizza at Eddyline Brewery Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Pizza at Eddyline Brewery Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

We started off by splitting a pumpkin beer and then went full-force into our BBQ chicken pizza and Garlic Artichoke pizza. So. Good!

Pizza at Eddyline Brewery Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Pizza at Eddyline Brewery Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

Pizza at Eddyline Brewery Colorado | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

After dinner, we got back in the car to continue our drive home into the sunset. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day spent exploring Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Colorado Road Trip To Great Sand Dunes National Park | www.cupcakesandthecosmos.com

What about you? Would you ever go sand sledding?

You might also like…Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park and Skiing in Breckenridge, CO.

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Get the Look…

Pull-Over: Under Armour (half-zip, full-zip) | Pants: Eddie Bauer | Socks: SmartWool | Shoes: Merrell

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