Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Colorado by Allie Moskal
Detailed Description
Backpackers are seen climbing the dunes near sunset to reach the Dunes Backcountry, located west of the highest ridgeline.
National Park Service/ Allie Moskal
Great Sand Dunes National Park offers two different backpacking experiences – seven designated sites along the Sand Ramp Trail and 20 non-designated sites in the Dunes Backcountry. Backpacking permits are available all year long and provide the visitor with an opportunity to spend the night in unique environments and allows for solitude in the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Designated sites along the Sand Ramp Trail are the perfect getaway for backpackers to experience a variety of landscapes - with views of the dunes, amongst mixed conifer forests at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Camping within the tallest dunes in North America is the more popular option for backpackers. The Dunes Backcountry is defined as “west of the high ridge and beyond the day-use area” a minimum distance of 1.5 miles west of the Medano Creek bed.
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