Great Sand Dunes National Park: A Dog Friendly Version

We visited in May 2022 on our cross country drive back from California. Obviously the main attraction is the dune field with the gorgeous mountainous backdrop. The dunes are dog friendly and like a massive sandbox for your pup! There are also a number or forested trailed to hike, but we only stopped for a day so we just stuck with the dunes.

Entrance Free is $25 per vehicle and it’s valid for 7 days or $45 for a Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass. America the Beautiful pass is accepted. I suggest at least one full day of visiting with your pup.

**Dune Hiking**

is obviously the goal when coming to Great Sand Dunes. The Park has some specific dunes named to hike (High Dune on First Ridge, Hidden Dune, Star Dune, and Eastern Dune Ridge) but we just picked somewhere that looked good and started off. Just make sure you keep track of where you came from and where the parking lot is as it easy to lose sight of your orientation in the dunes. These aren’t little dunes either- just one dune could take an hour to climb! So choose wisely and carry lots of water and sunscreen.

**Medano Creek**

If you’re lucky enough to visit on a summer day you’ll be able to enjoy the refreshing water of Medano Creek. It shows up in the summer as the snow from the mountains melts and run down to the sand dunes. It was a great way to cool off after hiking up the dunes- and axel enjoy it immensely.

**Sandboarding**

The Oasis Store, which is 4 miles from the entrance, rents sandboards where you can grab a board and hiking up at far as you want to sled down the dune. We didn’t partake when we were there, but it was fun to watch everyone else try to make it down the dune on their board.

Where to Stay: Great Sand Dunes Lodge is about 15 minutes from the Park and is one of the closest lodging options. There are specific dog friendly rooms at an extra $25 per night. There is a 50 lb limit but when I called to ask about it they said they weren’t super strict on that rule. Axel was about 65lbs at the time and we had no issues. They were out of rooms so we stayed in one of their camper suites- which are just campers permanently set up as lodging. Obviously it was a tighter space being in a camper- especially the shower, but any shower would feel good after being covered in sand and mud. Being a little removed from the rooms probably helped our case with a larger dog. We also had a nice view of the dunes as the sun set. If you have a larger dog I would suggest checking out airbnb, you’ll have to stay a little farther out in the closes town, but you’ll have dog friendly lodging.

Where to Eat: The Oasis Restaurant and Store is the only restaurant within 25 miles of the park. We brought our own snacks and lunch then ran to the Oasis Restaurant from something to go for dinner. Took a minute for them to make it, but the food was warm and fresh (and they had a large selection of desserts to pick from). This is definitely a park I suggest hitting the grocery store on the way in, so you aren’t just relying on one restaurant.

Axel’s Pup Tip: Watch out for the hot sand! Just like pavement, in the summer the sand dunes can get VERY hot and burn your pup’s feet. We suggest some booties for safety! Some goggle will help the blowing sand as well, although not necessary like the boots.

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Axel’s Packing List: Ruffwear Dog Boots, Rex Specs Dog Goggles, Dog Sunscreen, Collapsible Dog Bowl, Nalgene Water Bottle, Owala Water Bottle, Natural Dog Company Treats, Kurgo Dog Food Travel Bag