Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or Forest
The Quick Take
This is one of the most extraordinary backcountry camping experiences in the entire national park system. You hike at least a mile and a half over shifting sand -- there is no trail, just you and the dunes -- then set up camp wherever the landscape speaks to you beyond the major ridgeline. The trade-offs are extreme: no shade, no toilets, no fire, no trail markers, and sand that gets into everything you own. What you get in return is a night sleeping on what feels like another planet, with some of the darkest skies in Colorado arching overhead. The forest sites in the foothills offer a more sheltered alternative if the exposed dunes feel too ambitious. At just six dollars a night, this is backpacking for people who want a story worth telling -- but only when the weather cooperates.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 27 sites are reservable.
Book at Great Sand Dunes & Preserve LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
8 ADA-accessible campsites. Dunes wheelchairs are available for free checkout from the visitor center, but require pushing through soft sand. It is beyond the average person's strength to push another adult over the first high ridge of dunes to camp in the backcountry. Backpacking sites in the foothills are not wheelchair accessible. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:- Maximum of six people per party/ group at all times - Gas stoves only; no campfires or wood burning stoves allowed - Dogs are not permitted in the dunes backcountry.
- Bear Safety:- Bears rarely visit the interior of the dunefield.
- Occupancy:- Maximum of six people per party/ group at all times - Gas stoves only; no campfires or wood burning stoves allowed - Dogs are not permitted in the dunes backcountry.
Pro Tips
Check the weather obsessively before committing. Afternoon thunderstorms roll in fast during summer, and lightning on an exposed dune ridgeline is genuinely dangerous. Morning departures with a plan to be set up by early afternoon give you the best margin of safety.
Bring sand stakes or plan to anchor your tent with stuff sacks filled with sand -- standard aluminum stakes are useless here. The sand also radiates stored heat well after sunset in summer, which means your sleeping pad matters more than your sleeping bag rating.
The dune surface temperature can exceed 150 degrees Fahrenheit on summer afternoons, so time your hike for early morning or evening. Carry more water than you think you need -- the combination of altitude, dry air, and sand hiking burns through hydration fast.
Photos
Kevin Winget
NPS/Patrick MyersGetting There
Directions
To access the main park area, including the Dunes Parking Lot and backpacking trailheads, take CO Highway 150 from the south or County Road 6 from the west. Both are paved highways.
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