Colorado Trip-Great Sand Dunes National Park

I’m not sure where to start with this post.  Our recent trip to Colorado was so rich, each and every day, it’s hard to find focus to describe our visit to this gorgeous and magical state.  As I look back, I’m struck not only by the specific destinations we visited but also, and perhaps more impressively, the beauty of the places in-between.  I’m not sure I appreciated this on a prior trip, specifically visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.  I guess I was too focused on the destination.

I guess I’ll start at the beginning.  Upon landing in Denver, we immediately headed towards our first destination, Great Sand Dunes National Park.  I wish I could elaborate on the drive south to the park but I slept through a good part of it.  I didn’t get any sleep before catching our early morning flight.  I was also suffering from nasty cold symptoms that hit with full force in the middle of the flight (thankfully, I was miraculously back to normal by the following morning…must have been the clean Colorado air).  I did manage to wake up and clear my head in time to appreciate the drive through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains which provides a beautiful backdrop for Great Sand Dunes National Park.  It was dusk when we arrived at Great Sand Dunes Lodge, just outside the park.  From there, even in the fading light, I could see the dune field.  I couldn’t wait until morning when I could get out there and get my feet in the sand.

In addition to the incredible dune field, the park boasts other fascinating and beautiful features.  Sitting in front of the dunes is San Luis Valley, the largest valley in Colorado.  Of course, there are the mountains, both imposing and embracing in every direction.  There are even wetlands, providing invaluable resources for the year round inhabitants and migratory birds.  For now, I’m going to focus just on the dunes.  Rising as high as 750 feet from the valley floor, these are the largest dunes in North America.  Renewed by every gust of wind or passing storm, changing mood every minute as sunlight dances across the ridges, it’s a sight to behold.

Here is a link to a sampling of the images from the dunes.

Click Here to View the Slide Show!