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128-712: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a national park of the United States that conserves an area of large sand dunes on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley , and an adjacent national preserve in the Sangre de Cristo Range , in south-central Colorado . The park was originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument on March 17, 1932, by President Herbert Hoover . The original boundaries protected an area of 35,528 acres (55.5 sq mi; 143.8 km). A boundary change and redesignation as

256-573: A church in the village that is now called San Luis and dedicated it on the Feast of Saint Louis , 21 June 1851. At present, the San Luis Valley has the largest native Hispanic population in Colorado; many families are directly descended from the original New Mexican settlers. The surge of immigration followed the construction by the U.S. Army of Fort Massachusetts for protection against

384-700: A common feature of the Rio Grande Delta area where the Rio Grande enters the valley are large piles of potato-sized rocks screened from the soil. The area supports a wide variety of wildlife. Sandhill cranes migrate through the valley every spring and fall. The Monte Vista Crane Festival takes place in March, centering on the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge located six miles (9.7 km) south of town. The valley

512-406: A court order requiring the restoration of 400,000 acre-feet of water to the groundwater aquifer, as well as the forecast for reduced Rio Grande flows in future years. Predominantly agricultural in nature, the area is also one of the poorest rural areas of Colorado, with a poverty rate estimated at between 20 and 25% in 2019. The San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center is the largest employer in

640-498: A creek called Rito Seco , was established as a campground in the 1970s. However, it lacked hiking trails. Then in 2022, after more than a decade of planning, Costilla County and an organization called San Luis Valley Great Outdoors built three hiking trails and one single track mountain bike trail in the park. The San Louis Valley is also home to the Colorado Gator Reptile Rescue. The Reptile rescue

768-475: A destination, and hunting and extractive activities are prohibited. National monuments , on the other hand, are also frequently protected for their historical or archaeological significance. Eight national parks (including six in Alaska ) are paired with a national preserve , areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in

896-417: A dune and attempts to measure how long quartz grains have been buried in the dark. If the deepest sand deposits can be accurately dated, the age of the dunes could be determined. Samples of sand from deep in the dunes have returned OSL dates varying between a few hundred years to tens of thousands of years old. The oldest dated deposits found so far would have accumulated in the late Pleistocene epoch , during

1024-547: A few small lakes in the valley's sabkha section southwest of the dunes create a wetland that nurtures wildlife. The main dune field measures roughly 4 mi (6.4 km) east-to-west and 6 mi (9.7 km) north-to-south, with an adjacent 6 sq mi (16 km) area to the northwest called the Star Dune Complex, for a total of about 30 sq mi (78 km). The park and preserve together are approximately 15 mi (24 km) east-to-west at

1152-465: A herd of 500 bison in the southern part of the valley before returning to Santa Fe . In 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza and an entourage of men and livestock probably passed near the dunes as they returned from a punitive raid against a group of Comanches . At this time, the valley was a travel route between the High Plains and Santa Fe for Comanches, Utes, and Spanish soldiers. The dunes were likely

1280-430: A high-water year, the surges can be as high as 20 in (51 cm). The "surge flow" mainly occurs during the peak flow period from late May to early June in most years. Big Spring Creek is a unique spring-fed creek formed by an unconfined aquifer that creates wetlands that support rare species and plant communities in a generally arid area. The creek was designated a National Natural Landmark in 2012. Accessing

1408-503: A maximum height of 750 feet (229 m) from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range . The dunes cover an area of about 30 sq mi (78 km) and are estimated to contain over 1.2 cubic miles (5 billion cubic metres) of sand. The creation of the San Luis Valley began when the Sangre de Cristo Range was uplifted in the rotation of a large tectonic plate . The San Juan Mountains to

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1536-417: A national park and preserve was authorized on November 22, 2000, and then established on September 24, 2004. The park encompasses 107,342 acres (167.7 sq mi; 434.4 km) while the preserve protects an additional 41,686 acres (65.1 sq mi; 168.7 km) for a total of 149,028 acres (232.9 sq mi; 603.1 km). The recreational visitor total was 527,546 in 2019. The park contains

1664-582: A number of smaller locations. A few other counties of Colorado have some land in the Rio Grande Basin including Archuleta County , Hinsdale County and San Juan County . Blanca Peak is prominent in the Sierra Blanca at the southern end of the northernmost section of the mountains, which is known as the Sangre de Cristo Range . There are several passes, with elevations between 9,000 and 10,000 feet (2,700 and 3,000 m), giving access to

1792-406: A peak flow from late May to early June. From July to April, it is usually no more than a few inches deep, if there is any water at all. Hiking is permitted throughout the dunes with the warning that the sand surface temperature may reach 150 °F (66 °C) in summer. Sandboarding and sandsledding are popular activities, both done on specially designed equipment that can be rented just outside

1920-526: A proposal by Tessera Solar (affiliated with Stirling Energy Systems ) to install 8,000 parabolic mirrors, 40 feet each, on 1,500 acres (6.1 km ) near Saguache, Colorado . At issue was the noise expected to be generated by the numerous stirling engine generators, and the wisdom of industrial solar facilities in general. The application for a permit was withdrawn on 11 July 2011. There has also been controversy regarding proposed transmission lines over both Poncha and La Veta passes, which would open

2048-766: A regional road network, the Luther Bean Museum at Adams State University . Multiple Hot springs the Sand Dunes Swimming Pool Hot Spring and Joyful Journey Hot Springs. The Firedworks Gallery on Main Street in Alamosa for regional history and art, and regional Mexican food . Also recommended near Alamosa for wildlife viewing are The Alamosa Ranch north of town and the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge to

2176-523: A shorter growing season and less access to water rights tend to be devoted to alfalfa and grazing . Broad areas, especially in Saguache County, Colorado have a high water table or are even flooded part of the year. Uncultivated land is often covered with "chico", low brush such as rabbitbrush , greasewood and other woody species. Cropland is typically irrigated with large ( 1 ⁄ 4  mile radius) center-pivot irrigation systems, and

2304-550: A visible landmark for travelers along the trail. The first known writings about Great Sand Dunes appear in Zebulon Pike 's journals of 1807. As Lewis and Clark's expedition was returning east, U.S. Army Lt. Pike was commissioned to explore as far west as the Arkansas and Red Rivers . By the end of November 1806, Pike and his men had reached the site of today's Pueblo, Colorado . Still pushing southwest, and confused about

2432-614: A winter crossing of this range was possible. He was followed in 1853 by Captain John Gunnison of the Corps of Topographical Engineers . Gunnison's party crossed the dune field on horseback. In the years that followed, the Rockies were gradually explored, treaties were signed and broken with resident tribes, and people with widely differing goals entered the San Luis Valley from the United States and Mexico. In 1852, Fort Massachusetts

2560-540: Is Gateway Arch National Park , Missouri , at 192.83 acres (0.7804 km ). The total area protected by national parks is approximately 52.4 million acres (212,000 km ), for an average of 833 thousand acres (3,370 km ) but a median of only 220 thousand acres (890 km ). The national parks set a visitation record in 2021, with more than 92 million visitors. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee has been

2688-658: Is warm-summer humid continental ( Dfb ), at an average elevation of 10,970 ft (3,344 m). Summer high temperatures are moderate with an average high temperature slightly above 80 °F (27 °C) in July, which is the warmest month. The park's large spread between high and low temperatures, about 25–30 °F (14–17 °C), is typical of a high desert climate. Low temperatures during winter nights can be extremely cold, with average low temperatures well below 32 °F (0 °C) and record low temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) from November through April. Precipitation

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2816-454: Is a flyway for many migrating birds including avocets , bald eagles , goldfinches , and a plethora of hawk species. Agriculture in the San Luis Valley is enabled by irrigation, since average annual precipitation is just 7–10 inches (18–25 cm) whereas most ag crop production requires at least twice that much water. Surface water rights in the Valley began to be allocated in 1852, with

2944-724: Is also home to the Monte Arts Council as well as several festivals and an art tour that attracts artists from as far away as California and North Carolina. The arts of the San Luis Valley draw from traditions of the early Utes, Apaches, and Comanches and the later Spanish-speaking immigrants. The San Luis Valley is home to five active live theaters, two at Adams State University, The Creede Repertory Theater, The Old Spanish Trails Theatre Company and Rocky Mountain Stage in Monte Vista. In August there are two major Music Festivals,

3072-632: Is closed to the public. More than 250 species of birds have been documented in the park and preserve. Many species nest in the mountains, forests, grasslands, or wetlands during the summer. From higher to lower elevations, and dependent on season, some of the bird species include the brown-capped rosy finch , white-tailed ptarmigan , red-breasted nuthatch , peregrine falcon , mountain bluebird , northern pygmy owl , dusky grouse , hummingbird (four species), western tanager , burrowing owl , bald eagle , golden eagle , sandhill crane , American avocet , and great blue heron . Various reptiles live in

3200-601: Is common in this area. Toads can reproduce in sabkha wetlands when they are seasonally filled with sufficient fresh water. Shore birds such as the American avocet hunt tadpoles and insects in the shallow water. Wetlands speckle the San Luis Valley and are important habitats for sandhill cranes , shore birds, amphibians, dragonflies , and freshwater shrimp . Grassland species such as elk also use these waters for drinking. The sabkha and wetlands are at approximately 7,500 ft (2,300 m) in elevation. The park preserves

3328-421: Is composed of reversing dunes , transverse dunes —also called crescentic or barchan dunes—and star dunes . The sand sheet is the largest component of the system, comprising sandy grasslands that extend around three sides of the dune field. Almost 90% of the sand deposit is found in the sand sheet, while the remainder is found in the dune field. Small parabolic dunes form in the sand sheet and then migrate into

3456-665: Is drained by the Rio Grande . There is no clear southern boundary but the term is generally used to include the San Luis Hills of southern Colorado and the Taos Plateau of northern New Mexico. About 50 miles from east to west and about 150 miles from north to south, the valley is bounded on the east by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and on the west by the San Juan Mountains . Within Colorado

3584-604: Is found in this ecosystem. Subalpine forest extends from 9,500 ft (2,900 m) to tree line at 11,700 ft (3,600 m). Montane forests and woodlands are found along the drier foothills at approximately 8,000 ft (2,400 m) to 9,500 ft (2,900 m). Pinyon - juniper and ponderosa pine woodlands are found on open, drier slopes, while cottonwood and aspen trees are in drainages. Cougars hunt mule deer here at night. Owls , dusky grouse , turkeys , and bullsnakes all find habitat in these drier, open woodlands. The riparian zone follows creeks through

3712-413: Is generally concentrated around the towns of Alamosa, Monte Vista and Center. Principal crops include potatoes , head lettuce , wheat, and barley . The barley grown here is the main supplier for Coors beer company. In 1982, quinoa was successfully grown for the first time outside of South America in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, and commercial growth has occurred since 1987. Less favored areas with

3840-502: Is located 8,200 ft (2,500 m) above sea level—with nighttime temperatures often dropping below 50 °F (10 °C). Afternoon thundershowers are common in July and August with cool winds, heavy rain, and lightning. Fall is generally mild, with Indian summer days when temperatures reach or exceed 60 °F (16 °C), but nighttime temperatures drop below freezing. Occasional fall storms bring icy rain or snow. Cold temperatures well below freezing are typical in winter, although

3968-481: Is oil trapped in Dakota Formation sandstones lying beneath Mancos Shale to the west of the Sangre de Cristo fault at the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range southwest of Crestone. Drilling at the base of the range during gold exploration in the vicinity showed small amounts of oil and evidence of the existence of those formations as well as the underlying Morrison Formation . Prior to this discovery it

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4096-592: Is open to the public to view and interact with many different types of reptiles from Gators to Tortoises. The rescue uses thermal hot springs water to maintain the gators through the winter months and is home to Morris the Movie Star Gator There are over 500 known artists living in the San Luis Valley as evidenced by an ongoing directory maintained by Monte Vista artists' group, The Art Thing, The Art Thing's membership boasts several nationally recognized artists working in various media. Monte Vista

4224-461: Is removed by wind, magnetite deposits stay in place and are visible as dark patches in the dune field. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in Saguache and Alamosa Counties , Colorado at approximately 37.75° north latitude and 105.5° west longitude. The national park is located in the San Luis Valley while the national preserve is located to the east in an adjacent section of

4352-423: Is the broad, generally flat, valley at the headwaters of the Rio Grande in south central Colorado and far north central New Mexico. The northern portion of the San Luis Valley is an endorheic basin ; surface water does not exit this area. Irrigated agriculture is possible in the area due to groundwater and streams fed by the average 100 inches of snow the surrounding mountain ranges receive. The southern portion

4480-551: Is the primary type of grass around the Sabkha wetlands in the park. Mammals include—from alpine tundra to low elevation grasslands— pika , yellow-bellied marmot , bighorn sheep , black bear , snowshoe hare , Abert's squirrel , gray and red foxes , cougar , coyote , mule deer , water shrew , beaver , porcupine , kangaroo rat , badger , pronghorn , and elk . More than 2000 bison are ranched within park boundaries on private land, owned by The Nature Conservancy , that

4608-719: Is very low on the dunes, averaging just 11.13 inches (283 mm) of rainfall per year. A high evaporation rate on the dunes qualifies the area as a desert, even though precipitation exceeds 10 inches (250 mm). Spring conditions vary greatly, from mild and sunny to cold and snowy, with occasional high winds in the afternoon. March is the snowiest month, though some days are above 50 °F (10 °C). In late spring, when Medano Creek usually has its peak flow, snow, and high winds are still possible. In summer, daytime high temperatures average 75–80 °F (24–27 °C); however, sand surface temperatures can soar to 150 °F (66 °C) on sunny afternoons. Summer nights are cool—the park

4736-707: The Alamosa River and the Conejos River and Culebra Creek from the east. Most of the northern valley is an endorheic basin called the San Luis Closed Basin . Generally, within the Closed Basin the major streams such as Saguache Creek , San Luis Creek , and the streams from the west face of the Sangre de Cristos flow only a short distance onto the valley floor as surface streams. Only in very wet years, perhaps every 20 years, does

4864-586: The Department of the Interior . National parks are designated for their natural beauty, unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, and recreational opportunities, typically "because of some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena." While legislatively all units of the National Park System are considered equal with the same mission, national parks are generally larger and more of

4992-573: The Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle , a circus beetle ( Eleodes hirtipennis ), Werner's ( Amblyderus werneri ) and Triplehorn's ( Amblyderus triplehorni ) ant-like flower beetle , as well as undescribed species of clown beetle , noctuid moth , and robber fly . More than a thousand different kinds of arthropods have been found at the Great Sand Dunes. Alpine tundra is the highest elevation ecosystem at Great Sand Dunes where

5120-482: The P.E.O. Sisterhood sponsored a bill to Congress asking for national monument status for Great Sand Dunes. Widely supported by local people, the bill was signed into law in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover . Similar support in the late 1990s resulted in the monument's expansion into a national park and preserve in 2000–2004. The park contains the tallest and widest sand dunes in North America , rising to

5248-582: The Precambrian basement rock and the Eocene alluvial deposits in the San Luis Valley is considered evidence that much of southern Colorado, including the western portion of the San Luis Valley, was highlands in the period prior to the Eocene Epoch, 56 to 34 million years ago. There were lowlands to the north in central Colorado, the Colorado sag , an east–west basin. It is from those highlands to

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5376-520: The Sangre de Cristo Land Grant consisting of 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km ) of the valley and granted the family of Carlos Beaubien . The area was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . Extensive settlement began in the San Luis Valley, primarily by Hispanic farmers and ranchers from New Mexico, in the 1850s. Early settlers built

5504-463: The Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains . Elevations range from 7,515 ft (2,291 m) in the valley west of the dunes, to 13,604 ft (4,146 m) at the summit of Tijeras Peak in the northern part of the preserve. The dunes cover an area of about 30 sq mi (78 km) while the surrounding relatively flat sand sheet which feeds the large dunes is actually

5632-708: The Stations of the Cross . From San Luis, the National Geographic road trip suggests traveling west on State Highway 142 through Manassa, Colorado , then south on U.S. Highway 285 past Conejos, Colorado then west on State Highway 17 over Cumbres Pass to Chama, New Mexico paralleling the route of the narrow gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad . Rock climbing and camping are available at Penitente Canyon and other locations. Rito Seco Park, located east of San Luis and named for

5760-625: The Utes , who had previously barred settlers. The history of the U.S. military presence in the valley is preserved at Fort Garland and other historic preserves in the valley. The San Luis Valley became part of the Territory of Colorado in 1861. The original Ute population was confined to the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Indian reservations in the late 19th century. The San Luis Valley

5888-678: The Wet Mountain Valley . The Herards grazed and bred cattle in the mountain meadows, raised horses, and established a trout hatchery in the stream. Other families homesteaded near the dunes as well, including the Teofilo Trujillo family whose sheep and cattle ranch in the valley later became part of the Medano–Zapata Ranch, owned by the Nature Conservancy since 1999. The Trujillo's extant homestead and

6016-602: The territories of American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands . The state with the most national parks is California with nine, followed by Alaska with eight, Utah with five, and Colorado with four. The largest national park is Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska: at over 8 million acres (32,375 km ), it is larger than each of the nine smallest states . The next three largest parks are also in Alaska. The smallest park

6144-741: The Alamosa Basin, which lies at the north end of the Rio Grande rift . Deposits include the deeper alluvial strata, overlying Precambrian basement rock, Eocene alluvial deposits from a shallow Laramide depression, the Blanco Basin Formation; and Oligocene ash and lava flows associated with the Conejos Formation, is the Santa Fe formation, mixed alluvium and lava outflows from the San Juan volcanic field to

6272-608: The National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act or as other designations created by Congress before being redesignated by Congress;

6400-458: The People's Ditch, near San Luis. In the 1870s, some 50,000 acres (78 sq mi; 200 km ) of the San Luis Valley were irrigated, which rose to 800,000 acres (1,200 sq mi; 3,200 km ) in the 1880s. By the early 1900s, demand for surface water had outstripped the available supply and farmers began to use subsurface wells to supply water. Over 5,000 groundwater wells existed by

6528-755: The San Luis Valley are generally part of the Rio Grande National Forest and are managed by the United States Forest Service . Large areas of private lands have either been subdivided into small "ranch" lots or have been sold or donated to the Federal government and make up portions of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve , other wildlife preserves, and various state wildlife sites. The San Luis Valley contains an alluvial basin ,

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6656-549: The San Luis Valley dates back about 11,000 years. The first historic peoples to inhabit the area were the Southern Ute Tribe ; Apaches and Navajo also have cultural connections in the area. In the late 17th century, Diego de Vargas , a Spanish governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México , became the first European on record to enter the San Luis Valley. Juan Bautista de Anza , Zebulon Pike , John C. Frémont , and John Gunnison all traveled through and explored parts of

6784-409: The San Luis Valley is generally considered to comprise six Colorado counties: Saguache , Alamosa , Rio Grande , Conejos , Costilla and Mineral . The principal towns are: Alamosa , Monte Vista , Del Norte , South Fork , Creede , Saguache , Center , Fort Garland , San Luis , Antonito , La Jara , Capulin , Manassa , Sanford , Crestone , Villa Grove , Hooper , Mosca , San Acacio and

6912-619: The San Luis Valley lay on the shore of or beneath the Western Interior Seaway , a shallow sea which divided North America into two parts. As the sea deepened and expanded sand and gravel eroded from mountains in the west was deposited in the Dakota Formation ; later, when the sea was deeper mud and sand were deposited in the Mancos Shale . The Lexam oil play near Crestone is based on the hypothesis that there

7040-509: The Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The dunes can reach 750 feet (230 m) high. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is now in place to protect both the dunes and the numerous archeological sites found in the area. The natural valley aquifer is close to the surface in this part of the valley, and helps with maintenance of water levels in the San Luis Lakes, just to the west of the sand dunes. Elevation rises as you go north in

7168-414: The Sangre de Cristo Range. Climate change later significantly reduced these lakes, leaving behind the sand sheet . Remnants of these lakes still exist in the form of sabkha wetlands . Sand that was left behind after the lakes receded blew with the predominant southwest winds toward a low curve in the Sangre de Cristo Range. The wind funnels toward three mountain passes—Mosca, Medano, and Music Passes—and

7296-409: The Sangre de Cristos, eventually forming the dune field over an estimated tens of thousands of years. The four primary components of the Great Sand Dunes system are the mountain watershed , the dune field, the sand sheet , and the sabkha . Ecosystems within the mountain watershed include alpine tundra , subalpine forests , montane woodlands , and riparian zones . Evidence of human habitation in

7424-723: The Spanish Trails Music Festival and Mexican Rodeo, and Rhythms on the Rio. Music in the valley is sponsored by the South Fork Music Association and the Alamosa Live Music Association. The San Luis Valley is an alpine desert environment which is conducive to solar energy production. It has the highest per capita concentration of home-based solar energy systems in the United States. Colorado law requires that 30% of

7552-656: The Ute agency was in the mountains west of Saguache. Mount Otto on the east side of the valley is named after him. Cumbres Pass is a 10,015 ft. pass between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico . The pass is traversed by State Highway 17 and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (originally built as the San Juan Extension of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad that ran to Durango, Colorado ). From

7680-719: The Utes were removed to a reservation in western Colorado. They continued to play a role in Saguache in the northwestern corner of the valley from the Los Pinos Agency to the west of Saguache until they lost their extensive reservation as the result of the Meeker Massacre in 1879. The area was administered as part of the Spanish, later Mexican, province of Nuevo Mexico . In 1843, the government of New Mexico created

7808-437: The Valley. It is supplemented by a campus of Trinidad State College in Alamosa. San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center is a full service Acute-Care hospital and specialty physician clinic. A locally conducted survey of public health statistics showed a considerable deficiency with respect to most measures of public health. There is a deficiency of medical providers, for example, 106 physicians per 100,000 compared to

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7936-415: The base of the dunes, elsewhere on the valley floor, and in buried deposits indicates that some of the sediment has been washed down in torrential flash floods . In 2002, geologists discovered lakebed deposits on hills in the southern part of the valley, confirming theories of a huge lake that once covered much of the San Luis Valley floor. The body of water was named Lake Alamosa after the largest town in

8064-400: The borders of the valley (generally adjacent to National Forest Lands) are managed by the Bureau of Land Management , BLM, a division of the United States Department of the Interior . This land is usually leased to neighboring ranches for grazing for a nominal fee. Part of the value of a ranch is its continuing lease of BLM or National Forest lands. Public lands in the mountains surrounding

8192-493: The conditions are too harsh for trees to survive, but wildflowers, pikas , yellow-bellied marmots , ptarmigans , and bighorn sheep thrive. The tundra begins about 11,700 ft (3,600 m) and continues upward to the highest peaks in the park. At subalpine elevations near the tree line grow krummholz (meaning "crooked wood")—trees that are stunted and twisted due to high winds, snow, ice, short growing seasons, and shallow, poorly developed soils. The transition zone between

8320-420: The cool-grass prairie to desert shrubland, depending on proximity to groundwater and soil type. Elk and pronghorn are common, while burrowing owls nest in the ground and other raptors float through the skies searching for mice , kangaroo rats, and short-horned lizards . The sabkha is a wetland region where groundwater rises and falls seasonally, leaving white alkali deposits on the surface. Inland saltgrass

8448-484: The door to much more industrial solar development. Opposition to a proposed transmission line has resulted in possible delays in development of solar facilities by Xcel Energy which together with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association serves the valley. In 2012, the United States Department of Interior designated several Solar Energy Zones on BLM lands in the valley, although no projects have yet been announced to be in development. A significant portion of

8576-417: The dunes requires walking across the wide and shallow Medano Creek. The creek typically flows past the main dunes parking area from late April through late June, with peak flow occurring from late May to early June in most years. In other months, the creek is usually only a few inches deep, if there is any water at all. Hiking is permitted throughout the dunes, with the warning that the sand can get very hot in

8704-437: The dunes, is one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo , who call it Sisnaajini (White Shell Mountain). These various tribes collected the inner layers of bark from ponderosa pine trees for use as food and medicine. The people from the Tewa / Tiwa -speaking pueblos along the Rio Grande remember a traditional site of great importance located in the valley near the dunes: the lake through which their people emerged into

8832-481: The figures below. The 431 units of the National Park System can be broadly referred to as national parks, but most have other formal designations. A bill creating the first national park, Yellowstone , was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 (decommissioned in 1895), and then Rock Creek Park (later merged into National Capital Parks ), Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890. The Organic Act of 1916 created

8960-524: The flowering plants are alpine phlox , dwarf clover , alpine forget-me-not , fairy primrose , alpine aven , paintbrush flowers , lousewort , blue-purple penstemon , aspen daisy , western paintbrush , elephantella , snow buttercups , scurfpea , Indian ricegrass , blowout grass , prairie sunflower , Rocky Mountain beeplant , rubber rabbitbrush , speargrass , small-flowered sand-verbena , narrowleaf yucca , prickly pear cactus , Rocky Mountain iris , and white water buttercup . Inland saltgrass

9088-443: The foot of the White Mountains about 15 miles [24 km] and appeared to be about 5 miles [8 km] in width. Their appearance was exactly that of the sea in a storm, except as to color, not the least sign of vegetation existing thereon. In 1848, John C. Frémont was hired to find a railroad route from St. Louis to California . He crossed the Sangre de Cristos into the San Luis Valley in winter, courting disaster but proving that

9216-399: The growing front range cities and dropped into the valley just east of the Great Sand Dunes. Trails were improved into wagon routes and eventually into rough roads. The Mosca Pass Toll Road was developed in the 1870s and stages and the mail route used it regularly until about 1911, when the western portion was damaged in a flash flood. Partially rebuilt at times in the 1930s through the 1950s,

9344-547: The headwaters of the Rio Grande Wolf Creek Pass is the route of U.S. Highway 160 between Del Norte, Colorado and Pagosa Springs, Colorado , while Spring Creek Pass is the route of State Highway 149 between U.S. Highway 160 and Lake City, Colorado . Stony Pass, sometimes spelled Stoney Pass, a historic wagon road to the mining camps of the San ;Juans , is now a jeep trail . At

9472-407: The largest component of the entire dunes system, containing about 90% of all the sand in the park. The forested and often snowcapped mountains exceeding 13,000 ft (4,000 m) to the east is the most prominent feature, towering over the high dunes. Other features include snow-fed creeks originating high in the mountains, and several alpine lakes. Two spring-fed creeks in the sand sheet along with

9600-615: The location of the Arkansas River, Pike crossed the Sangre de Cristos just above the Great Sand Dunes. After marching some miles, we discovered ... at the foot of the White Mountains [today's Sangre de Cristos] which we were then descending, sandy hills ... When we encamped, I ascended one of the largest hills of sand, and with my glass could discover a large river [the Rio Grande] ... The sand hills extended up and down

9728-437: The main dune field from the valley; however, small parabolic dunes continue to originate in the sand sheet and migrate across grasslands, joining the main dunefield. Some of these migrating dunes become covered by grasses and shrubs and stop migrating. The dune system is fairly stable as the opposing wind directions balance each other out over time. Also, the main dune field is moist beneath a thin layer of dry surface sand. While

9856-405: The main dunefield. Nabkha Dunes form around vegetation. The sabkha forms where sand is seasonally saturated by rising groundwater. When the water evaporates away in late summer, minerals similar to baking soda cement sand grains together into a hard, white crust. Areas of sabkha can be found throughout western portions of the sand sheet, wherever the water table meets the surface. Some wetlands in

9984-412: The main dunefield. Sand that has blown from the valley floor is captured in streams and carried back toward the valley. As creeks disappear into the valley floor, the sand is picked up and carried to the dune field once again. The recycling action of water and wind, along with a 7% moisture content below the dry surface holding the sand together, contributes to the great height of the dunes. The dune field

10112-432: The middle years of the current ice age 's third stage . The dunes contain dark areas which are deposits of magnetite , a mineral that has eroded out of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Magnetite is both attracted to a magnet and can be magnetized to become a magnet itself; it is the most magnetic mineral in nature. Magnetite is an oxide of iron which is heavier than the surrounding particles of sand. When overlying sand

10240-602: The most-visited park since 1944, and had almost 13 million visitors in 2022. In contrast, only about 9,500 people visited the remote Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska in 2022. Download coordinates as: The following table includes the 30 states and two territories that have national parks. Exclusive parks refer to parks entirely within one state or territory. Shared parks refer to parks in multiple states. Territories are set in italics . San Luis Valley The San Luis Valley

10368-575: The mountainous areas north and east of the dune field, up to the ridgeline of the Sangre de Cristos. The oldest evidence of humans in the area dates back about 11,000 years. Some of the first people to enter the San Luis Valley and the Great Sand Dunes area were nomadic hunter-gatherers whose connection to the area centered around the herds of mammoths and prehistoric bison . They were Stone Age people who hunted with large stone spears or dart points now identified as Clovis and Folsom points . These people only stayed when hunting and plant gathering

10496-509: The mountains around the San Luis Valley. People had frequently speculated that gold might be present in the Great Sand Dunes, and local newspapers ran articles in the 1920s estimating its worth at anywhere from 17 cents/ton to $ 3/ton (equivalent to $ 3/ton to $ 46/ton today). Active placer mining operations sprang up along Medano Creek, and in 1932 the Volcanic Mining Company established a gold mill designed to recover gold from

10624-472: The newest national park is New River Gorge , previously a National River, and the most recent entirely new park is National Park of American Samoa . A few former national parks are no longer designated as such , or have been disbanded. Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS), and 21 national parks are named UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR), with eight national parks in both programs. Thirty states have national parks, as do

10752-399: The north end of the valley, North Pass is the route of State Highway 114 between Saguache, Colorado and Gunnison, Colorado , bypassing the original route over Cochetopa Pass , now a county road. The Rio Grande follows a course through the southern valley from Del Norte southeastward via Alamosa to New Mexico. South of Alamosa it is joined by several streams from the west including

10880-417: The park and generally parallel to Colorado State Highway 17 , which is the closer of the two north–south roadways. The Great Sand Dunes are located in the high elevation desert of the San Luis Valley at about 7,694 ft (2,345 m), just west of the Sangre de Cristo Range . The dunefield's Köppen climate classification type is cold semi-arid ( BSk ), while the mountainous preserve's climate type

11008-508: The park entrance or in Alamosa . Visitors with street-legal four-wheel drive vehicles may continue past the end of the park's main road to Medano Pass on 22 miles (35 km) of unpaved road, crossing the stream bed of Medano Creek nine times and traversing 4 miles (6.4 km) of deep sand. Hunting is permitted in the preserve in the autumn, but prohibited within national park boundaries at all times. The preserve encompasses nearly all of

11136-465: The park, such as the short-horned lizard , fence lizard , many-lined skink , bullsnake , and garter snake . Fish living in the park's streams include the Rio Grande cutthroat trout , Rio Grande sucker (Catostomus plebeius), and fathead minnow . Amphibians include the tiger salamander , chorus frog , northern leopard frog , spadefoot toad , Great Plains toad , and Woodhouse's toad . The park harbors several endemic insects including

11264-471: The park, while the Rio Grande flows through the valley farther to the southwest. The Baca National Wildlife Refuge lies adjacent to the west, and the slopes of the San Juan Mountains begin at the western edge of the valley. Private property of the Baca Grande subdivision of Crestone lies adjacent to the northwest. The nearest city is Alamosa which is about 30 mi (48 km) away by road to

11392-482: The power used in the state be generated from renewable sources by 2020. It also requires that 3% of the power generated be used at or near where it is generated; i.e. distributed generation . There are also a number of utility-scale photovoltaic power stations in the valley, and an active market in selling or leasing land to be used for solar facilities. In 2007, SunEdison constructed the 7.7 megawatt Alamosa Photovoltaic Power Plant on about 80 acres near

11520-415: The present world. They call the lake Sip'ophe (Sandy Place Lake), which is thought to be the springs or lakes immediately west of the dune field. In 1694, Don Diego de Vargas became the first European known to have entered the San Luis Valley, although herders and hunters from the Spanish colonies in present-day northern New Mexico probably entered the valley as early as 1598. De Vargas and his men hunted

11648-445: The region in the 18th and 19th centuries. The explorers were soon followed by settlers who ranched, farmed, and mined in the valley starting in the late 19th century. The park was first established as a national monument in 1932 to protect it from gold mining and the potential of a concrete manufacturing business. Visitors must walk across the wide and shallow Medano Creek to reach the dunes in spring and summer. The creek typically has

11776-490: The remaining forested slopes directly to the east of the dunes were redesignated the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. The San Isabel National Forest is located to the east of the preserve just beyond the ridge of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Private property abuts most of the southern boundary of the park. The San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area lies adjacent to the southwestern corner of

11904-525: The residents of the San Luis Valley are Hispanic with historic populations in Costilla and Conejos counties which were settled by early migrants from New Mexico. There are a few Native Americans in the valley. There are small Amish communities which were recently established. Much of the grazing land on the floor of the valley is of little value. In Costilla County, large tracts of land have been subdivided into 5 acre plots. 35 acre plots are also common in

12032-451: The road was repeatedly closed due to flood damage and is now a hiking trail. The Herard family—after whom Mount Herard is named—established a ranch and homestead along Medano Creek in 1875, using the old Medano Pass Road to travel to and from their home. The modern unpaved road follows the old route and is open only to four-wheel drive , and high-clearance vehicles as it passes through deep sand, rises to Medano Pass, and continues east into

12160-506: The ruins of a destroyed one were declared a National Historic Landmark in 2004. Frank and Virginia Wellington built a cabin and hand-dug the irrigation ditch that parallels Wellington Ditch Trail located south of the park campground. Gold and silver rushes occurred around the Rockies after 1853, bringing miners by the thousands into the state and stimulating mining businesses that are still in operation. Numerous small strikes occurred in

12288-430: The sabkha are deeper with plentiful plants and animals, while others are shallow and salty. There are hundreds of plant species in the park and preserve, adapted for environments as diverse as alpine tundra and warm water wetlands. Trees include aspen , Douglas fir , pinyon pine , ponderosa pine , Rocky Mountain juniper , three-leaf sumac , bristlecone pine , red osier dogwood , and narrow-leaf cottonwood . Among

12416-421: The sand accumulates in this natural pocket. The winds blow from the valley floor toward the mountains, but during storms, the winds blow back toward the valley. These opposing wind directions cause the dunes to grow vertically. Two mountain streams—Medano and Sand Creeks—also capture sand from the mountainside of the dune field and carry it around the dunes and back to the valley floor. The creeks then disappear into

12544-474: The sand sheet, and the sand blows back into the dune field. Barchan and transverse dunes form near these creeks. The combination of opposing winds, a huge supply of sand from the valley floor, and the sand-recycling action of the creeks are all part of the reason that these are the tallest dunes in North America. Sufficient vegetation has grown on the valley floor and there is little sand blowing into

12672-466: The sand. Although minute quantities of gold were recovered, the technique was too labor-intensive, the stream too seasonal, and the pay-out too small to support any business for long. The idea that the dunes could be destroyed by gold mining or concrete manufacturing alarmed residents of Alamosa and Monte Vista . By the 1920s, the dunes had become a source of pride for local people, and a potential source of tourist dollars for local businesses. Members of

12800-694: The southeast. To the northeast of Alamosa lie the San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area , the San Luis Lakes and the Great Sand Dunes National Park At Fort Garland, Colorado south of the Great Sand Dunes on U.S. Highway 160 the Fort Garland Museum is recommended and further south on State Highway 159 at San Luis, Colorado , the oldest town in Colorado, the bronze sculptures by Huberto Maestas, depicting

12928-430: The southwest. The nearest towns are Crestone to the north, Mosca and Hooper to the west, Blanca and Fort Garland to the south, and Gardner to the east. Colorado Springs and Denver are located a few hours away by car to the northeast. The major roads through the San Luis Valley are U.S. Route 160 on an east–west alignment passing south of the park, and U.S. Route 285 on a north–south alignment passing west of

13056-491: The stream system in the Closed Basin flow as a contiguous unit into San Luis Lake at the low point of the Closed Basin west of the Great Sand Dunes. About 50% of the 2,000,000 acres (810,000 ha) in the San Luis Valley is privately owned. Much of the land in the south part of the Valley, in Conejos and Costilla counties, was originally part of large Mexican land grants and is private land. 500,000 acres (200,000 ha) on

13184-525: The subalpine and montane ecosystems at Great Sand Dunes. Cottonwood and aspen trees, red osier dogwood , and alder grow well in this wet environment, in turn providing shade and habitat for black bears , water shrews , and western tanagers . Rio Grande cutthroat trout are found in Medano Creek. While the top few inches of the dune field are often dry, the dunes are moist year-round due to ongoing precipitation. The moisture content of 7% beneath

13312-452: The subalpine forest and alpine tundra is an important refuge during storms for some mammals and birds who primarily live in the tundra. Bristlecone and limber pines grow at an extremely slow rate, with small statures that belie their true ages as some are more than a thousand years old. Subalpine forests and meadows capture heavy snow in winter and soaking rains in summer. The highest diversity of Rocky Mountain species of plants and animals

13440-582: The summer, up to 150 °F (66 °C). Sand wheelchairs are available at the visitor center. Sandboards and sand sleds can be rented just outside the park entrance or in Alamosa which is the closest city. List of national parks of the United States The United States has 63 national parks , which are congressionally designated protected areas operated by the National Park Service , an agency of

13568-581: The sunshine is generally abundant and the dry air does not feel as cold as more humid areas. The average winter high temperatures are just above freezing even in January, which is the coldest month. The four primary components of the Great Sand Dunes system are the mountain watershed , the dune field, the sand sheet , and the sabkha . The mountain watershed receives heavy snow and rain which feeds creeks that flow down from alpine tundra and lakes, through subalpine and montane woodlands , and finally around

13696-489: The surface sand allows species such as Ord's kangaroo rat , Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, scurfpea , and blowout grass to survive here. Many animals visit the dunes from other habitats, including elk , pronghorn , bison , coyotes , bobcats , and raptors . The sand sheet includes extensive grasslands and shrublands that surround the dune field on three sides, from 7,500 ft (2,300 m) to 8,200 ft (2,500 m). The sand sheet varies from wet meadows to

13824-513: The tallest sand dunes in North America , as well as alpine lakes and tundra , mountain peaks over 13,000 feet (3,962 m) in elevation, mixed conifer forests, grasslands , and wetlands . Medano Creek, which borders the east side of the dunes, never finds a permanent and stable streambed as fresh sand falls in the creek. Small underwater sand ridges that act like dams form and break down, creating surges of water that resemble waves. The surges occur at an average interval of about 20 seconds. In

13952-423: The tallest sand dunes in North America , up to 750 feet (230 m) tall. The dunes cover an area of about 30 sq mi (78 km) and are estimated to contain over 1.2 cubic miles (5 billion cubic metres) of sand. Sediments from the surrounding mountains filled the valley over geologic time periods . After lakes within the valley receded, exposed sand was blown by the predominant southwest winds toward

14080-492: The time of World War I . By the early 1970s, water availability began to be limited, with the State enforcing a moratorium on new wells in much of the valley in 1972, and then completely ending new appropriations of water throughout the valley in 1981. The 1980s and 90s saw relatively bountiful water years in the valley, with drought conditions becoming the norm in the 2010s. As of 2021 , water use cutbacks are anticipated due to

14208-429: The top few inches of sand are blown around during windstorms, the moist sand remains largely in place. Scientists estimate that Lake Alamosa disappeared about 440,000 years ago, but the dunes themselves apparently originate from sand deposits from later, smaller lakes. A relatively new dating process, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), is still in development. This method takes core samples of sand from deep within

14336-550: The town of Mosca, Colorado . It was the largest grid-connected solar electric facility in the United States at that time. It was followed in 2010 by the 19 megawatt Greater Sandhill Solar Plant , in 2011 by the 30 megawatt San Luis Valley Solar Ranch , in 2012 by the 30 megawatt Alamosa Solar Generating Project , and in 2015 by the 50 megawatt Hooper Solar PV Power Plant . All are located on previously developed agricultural lands near Mosca. On 11 December 2009, more than 125 people gathered to respond to

14464-531: The valley and engaged in mining, ranching, and irrigated agriculture. Today the valley has a diverse Anglo and Hispanic population. Prior to 1868 the Capote (Kapota) band of Ute Indians lived in the valley. The Utes made a treaty of peace with the United States in 1849 after the Mexican War. Shortly thereafter settlers from New Mexico established several small settlements in what is now Colorado and in 1868

14592-401: The valley as a 35-acre plot allows drilling a well to water a garden and livestock. These have been sold to homesteaders who often live off-the-grid . La Puente, headquartered in Alamosa offers social services to the homeless and others in the valley. Adams State University , a four-year state college at Alamosa, with approximately 3,500 students, is the major educational institution in

14720-471: The valley to Poncha Pass , used now by U.S. Highway 285 and historically by the narrow gauge tracks of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad . Otto Mears , then of Saguache, built and operated a historic toll road over Poncha Pass at the north end of the valley into the San Luis Valley during Colorado's 19th century mining era when the valley was the gateway to the San Juan and Gunnison country and

14848-499: The valley, with over 600 employees. Tourism has become a more important part of the economy in recent years, coupled with attempts to develop the area as a retirement destination. The arts are becoming an increasing force in expanding the economy of the San Luis Valley. Tourist attractions suggested by National Geographic Traveler include the Monte Vista Crane Festival in March, Los Caminos Antiguos,

14976-492: The valley. North La Veta Pass , through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is used by U.S. Highway 160 and by the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad (formerly a branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Western ) tracks. Other passes used historically were Medano, Mosca and Sangre de Cristo Passes. The Great Sand Dunes are a famous feature of the valley. They lie directly to the west of

15104-477: The valley. Lake Alamosa suddenly receded after it broke through volcanic deposits in the southern end of the valley. The water then drained through the Rio Grande , likely forming the steep Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico . Smaller lakes still covered the valley floor, including two broad lakes on the northeastern side of the valley. Large amounts of sediment from the volcanic San Juan Mountains continued to wash down into these lakes, along with some sand from

15232-419: The valley. The deeper confined aquifers have sufficient hydrological connection with the surface waters of the valley that they are not considered for the purposes of Colorado water law "nontributary" waters which could legally be mined. Streams which flow into the valley, particularly the Rio Grande, have deposited alluvial fans where they emerge from higher terrain onto the valley floor. The gap between

15360-403: The west of the valley were created through extended and dramatic volcanic activity. The San Luis Valley encompasses the area between the two mountain ranges and is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut . Sediments from both mountain ranges filled the deep chasm of the valley, along with huge amounts of water from melting glaciers and rain. The presence of larger rocks along Medano Creek at

15488-744: The west, in Paleozoic , Pennsylvanian , and Permian times that the coarse alluvial deposits of the Sangre de Cristo Formation such as the Crestone Conglomerate originated. The Minturn Formation, a limestone formation exemplified at Marble Mountain on the crest of the Sangre de Cristos, is evidence of a sea in the Central Colorado Trough during the era of the Ancestral Rockies . In the middle and late Cretaceous Period , about 100 million years ago,

15616-404: The west; later strata comprise the Alamosa formation, alternating layers of sand, gravel, and clay. The relatively impermeable clay layers trap ground water in the "confined aquifer " which, if tapped, supplies artesian wells . Surface waters, including the Rio Grande and other streams, are hydrologically connected to the "unconfined aquifer" a shallow ground water formation which underlies much of

15744-417: The widest point, and approximately 15 mi (24 km) north-to-south, also at the widest point. The park encompasses 107,342 acres (167.7 sq mi; 434.4 km), while the preserve protects an additional 41,686 acres (65.1 sq mi; 168.7 km) for a total of 149,028 acres (232.9 sq mi; 603.1 km). The Rio Grande National Forest is located to the north and southeast while

15872-536: Was a basin in its western portion which may have drained west through the course historically followed by the San Juan River . Sedimentary deposits formed in that basin during Eocene times remain in place beneath the western portion of the San Luis Valley. During the Pleistocene , parts of the valley were occupied by Lake Alamosa . Much of the land in the San Luis Valley is used for grazing. Farming

16000-530: Was assumed that these formations had eroded away during the Laramide orogeny . Building of the Rocky Mountains by folding during the Laramide orogeny 80 to 55 million years ago created a highland, the San Luis-Brazos uplift, in the area of the San Luis Valley. This process over 30 million years resulted in an elevated and highly eroded peneplain where the San Luis Valley is today. There

16128-534: Was built and then relocated to Fort Garland , about 20 mi (32 km) southeast of the Great Sand Dunes, to safeguard travel for settlers following the explorers into the valley. Although many settlers arrived via the trails from Santa Fe or La Veta Pass , several routes over the Sangre de Cristos into the valley were well-known to American Indians and increasingly used by settlers in the late 1800s. Medano Pass, also known as Sand Hill Pass, and Mosca Pass , also called Robidoux's Pass, offered more direct routes from

16256-458: Was ceded to the United States by Mexico following the Mexican–American War . Hispanic settlers began moving north and settling in the valley after the United States made a treaty with the Utes and established a fort in the early 1850s. Prior to the Mexican war the Spanish and Mexican governments had reserved the valley to the Utes . Later in the 19th century Anglo settlers began to settle in

16384-424: Was good, and avoided the region during times of drought and scarcity. Modern American Indian tribes were familiar with the area when Spaniards first arrived in the 17th century. The traditional Ute phrase for the Great Sand Dunes is Saa waap maa nache (sand that moves). Jicarilla Apaches settled in northern New Mexico and called the dunes Sei-anyedi (it goes up and down). Blanca Peak , just southeast of

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