Great Sand Dunes: Sand Sledding and the Hike to High Dune

A COTTON-CANDY SUNRISE

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I woke up the following morning with excitement and was ready to hit the much-anticipated Great Sand Dunes. I've wanted to visit this park because I've seen the dunes in photos.

I’d been watching the weather forecast because I’d read that getting caught on the dunes while there is lightning is not ideal. I walked outside and noticed some cotton-candy clouds, so I grabbed my camera and started clicking away.

Pink and orange cotton-candy clouds glowing over a dark mountain range at sunrise.

It was a chilly 50-something degrees, and I ended up grabbing a small blanket to throw over my pajamas, which I was still wearing.

I went back inside and looked over my gear, making sure I had everything I’d need for the dune hike and sledding.

I’d packed my regular camera, action cameras, small tripod, hydration bladder, Garmin InReach Mini 3 Plus, PB&J sandwich, grapes, protein bars, electrolytes, sunscreen, and backpack straps that would hold the sled.

I made my 40-minute drive to the park, and it felt like forever. I was so excited, I had ants in my pants.

Smiling woman in sunglasses and a teal jacket taking a selfie in front of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve entrance sign.

Interpretive trail sign titled “Points of View,” showing a map of a short loop trail near the visitor center.

I finally arrived, showed my America the Beautiful pass, and drove over to the visitor center. I’m sure you know the drill by now. Yep, more souvenirs.

I purchased a few and also made a donation so I could get an additional discount on national park merchandise. If I had known about this at the start of my road trip, I probably would have saved some bucks.

I then asked one of the ladies sitting at a desk about the conditions on the dunes. She told me that right now wouldn’t be a good time to go sledding because the damp sand would make it difficult to slide down. She said to wait until later in the morning, when the sand was drier.

My party balloons burst. Metaphorically speaking. I had plans to return the board by noon because I figured it would get hotter later in the day.

Anyhow, I got back into my car and made my way over to the dunes parking lot. There were quite a few cars, but still plenty of spaces. There were restrooms, a place to change your clothes, spigots to wash your feet, and a day-use picnic area.

I grabbed my gear, minus the sled, and started heading out toward the dunes. It was about half a mile to reach them, and they didn’t look so bad from the parking lot. But as I got closer, reality set in. These weren’t like the ones at White Sands National Park. They were at least four times higher. Towering walls of sand stretched toward the sky, and suddenly, the climb ahead looked a whole lot more daunting than it had from the parking lot.

Towering sand dunes rising beyond a line of green trees under a pale sky.

A CHANGE OF PLANS

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I began walking around, photographing this and that, when I ran into a guy and asked him how it was. He said, “It was awesome. Every time.”

Man in a dark jacket walking across the sand dragging a sand sled, with hikers and large dunes behind him.

I explained that the ranger (who was actually not a ranger) at the visitor center had told me it wouldn’t be a good time to go sledding, but he said the sand was just fine.

After our talk, he convinced me to head back to my car to get my sled. This time, I left my regular camera behind because I knew climbing the dunes with all this gear would most likely be pretty rough.

I attached my board to my backpack with these straps I got from Amazon, and I’m so glad I did. They worked perfectly. I made my way back toward the dunes.

I wasn’t really sure where to go, but what I did know was that I didn’t want to head for a large hill. A bunny slope was preferable.

LET THE SLEDDING BEGIN

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I found a nice baby hill, dropped my pack, and started waxing my sled. I got on, and away I went. Screaming and all.

Woman sitting on a sand sled at the bottom of a dune, laughing and reaching her hand toward the camera, with sled tracks in the sand around her. — Waving at the camera… just a little too late.

Holy cow! That was so much fun.

Of course, the not-so-fun part was walking back up the hill. My feet would sink with every step, which made getting back up even tougher.

Woman in an orange tank top and green hiking pants carrying a sand sled up a steep sand dune under a cloudy sky. — My feet would sink with every step, which made getting back up even tougher.

I went down again, but this time I took my small tripod and GoPro with me so I could set it up at the bottom of the hill and record myself flying past. On one run, I tried to wave at the camera as I flew by, but I was already past it by the time I got my hand up. On another, I was holding my GoPro and realized halfway down that it was facing the wrong direction.

Woman on a sand sled speeding down a dune with sand spraying behind her, mouth open in a scream, holding out an action camera. — Pretty sure my GoPro got a great shot of… the sky.

Another run, and then another. I couldn’t stop. I was having a blast.

But then it was time to head farther into the dunes. I figured I’d try to make it to High Dune.

THE HIKE TO HIGH DUNE

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As I walked along the same path as everyone else, I met another guy who was planning to head up to High Dune as well. He was from Pennsylvania, I believe. We started hiking at our own pace, taking breaks here and there and chatting along the way.

The farther we went, the tougher it became. My feet sank deeper into the sand with every step, and the slope kept getting steeper. The hike was taking my breath away. My heart rate reached 172 beats per minute, and during those times, I’d stop and reconsider whether I should keep going.

The tip of a sand sled resting on a steep slope beside deep footprints in the sand.

Thank goodness it wasn’t hot out. I couldn’t imagine doing this in the summer, when the sand temperature could reach a sweltering 150 degrees.

I kept going, taking frequent breaks. Bringing three liters of water was a good idea. I saw some people who hadn’t brought anything. No pack, no water, no snacks. Nothing. I’m not sure what they were thinking, but I really thought that was not a smart idea.

Oh, finally! High Dune. I looked at my AllTrails app and realized that was just the first false summit.

Two hikers walking along a sand dune ridgeline toward forested mountains in the distance.

Ugh... so I kept trucking along the ridgeline. I saw another summit. Oh, that must be it!

A footprint-covered sand dune ridgeline leading toward a higher summit, with a hiker carrying a sled and several tiny figures standing on the crest under a wide, cloudy blue sky.

Sh*t! Nope. Another false summit.

Then I saw it. Several people were standing on another, much higher summit. Oh, man. That was definitely it. I was totally out of breath at this point, but I had just a little more to go.

A sharp sand dune ridgeline covered in footprints, dropping steeply into the valley below.

I finally made it to High Dune, which rises 699 feet above the surrounding ground and sits at an elevation of 8,691 to 8,727 feet above sea level. It may not sound like a lot, but imagine climbing up and down soft sand. It’s absolute torture.

A group of people standing on the peak of a tall sand dune against a blue sky with scattered clouds.

LUNCH WITH A VIEW

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I finally made it to the summit and chatted with some of the other folks. I snapped some photos with my phone and GoPro and eventually sat down to eat my lunch of PB&J and grapes.

Smiling woman in sunglasses and an orange tank top stretching her arm out over a sweeping view of sand dunes. — The view from High Dune

It was so relaxing up there. The views were incredible. I gobbled down my sandwich and grabbed my grapes, which then fell right into the sand.

Wahhhh! I couldn’t believe it. I could only save a couple of grapes. In hindsight, I guess I could have rinsed them off with my water, but I didn’t want to waste it on cleaning off grapes. What a bummer.

I packed up my sandy grapes and was planning to do some more exploring, but there were some other guys around trying their hand at boarding. Some eventually figured it out, and others not so much.

One thing I noticed about these boards: they were a tad wider and in better shape than the ones rented closer to the park. People were having trouble staying upright, and I watched a few either struggle to get a good slide going or end up doing a total faceplant into the sand.

NO BABY HILL THIS TIME

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I then decided, Well, crap. I hiked all the way up here, I might as well try sledding down.

It was no baby hill, that’s for sure. What’s the worst that could happen? Maybe have a mouthful of sand.

I set up my GoPro on the tripod, turned on the one hooked up to my tank top for POV (point of view) footage, and off I went.

Woman sliding down a vast, steep sand dune on a sled, small against the sweeping sand.

Screaming like a little baby.

Scary? Hell yes. Fun? A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y!!

Once again, I had to walk back up the sandy hill. So exhausting. Okay. One more time. Then again.

A tiny figure in orange walking at the bottom of an enormous sand dune, facing the long climb back up.

But this time, a very nice man offered to record me with my GoPro. My mini tripod is just 10 inches tall, so I thought it might have trouble recording me as I went past a hump farther down the hill.

I showed the man which button to push, got on my sled, turned on my POV GoPro, and prayed all would be well.

Off I went, screaming once again but enjoying every single minute of it.

I was so grateful the man offered to record me. When I watched the video later, I heard him say I was having a good time. That made me smile all over again. He did a wonderful job, and I’ll always remember his kindness.

I sat and watched a few more boarders and some hikers heading toward Star Dune. It didn’t look much farther to hike, but looks can be deceiving out here. Maybe on my next visit I will attempt that hike.

It was already around 1:00 p.m. Time flew. I needed to head back so I could return the sled. Should I walk back? I put on my pack, turned on my GoPro, and decided to sled down.

This time, I picked up speed. Hanging on to the side handles for dear life. Maybe it was the extra weight from my pack, but before I knew it, I was flying down the dune. The climb up had been exhausting, but the ride down? Totally worth it.

I had to climb another dune and walk back down once again. You could easily get lost here. I could get my bearings by looking for the visitor center, although it was difficult to see. I ended up just following the little dots of people.

I looked down at the sand, entertained by how my feet would sink into it. At this point, my feet were starting to hurt. Now I understand why some people would remove their shoes. It’s not so much the sand rubbing inside the shoes; it’s the feet being pushed forward inside the shoes with every step.

I was getting close to reaching the last set of dunes when an older lady asked me if I was a ranger.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Are you a ranger? My friend is somewhere up there, and I was wondering if she had reached one of the dunes.”

I’m not sure what made her think I was a ranger. Maybe it was the green hiking pants? The Garmin in a protective orange case? The GoPro attached? The backpack? The sled? I have no idea. Maybe I looked prepared for an emergency?

Besides, there were quite a few people out here, and trying to remember whether this one person was among them? I couldn’t tell you. I was only focusing on my survival at this point.

BACK TO THE CAR

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I was exhausted by the time I made it to the car, but I was so proud of myself once again. It was a really tough hike, but I made it to High Dune, at least. Next time, I’ll remember to bring a rag to wipe the sweat off my face. It wasn’t extremely hot outside, but the heat reflecting off the sand definitely made it feel like a sweat lodge.

I took off my hiking shoes and put on my flip-flops. My feet were having a freedom party! They were hurting. By this time, it was around 2:00 p.m. Time for me to head to Blanca to return my board. I was sad to have to return it, but one day was enough this round.

I made it back to Spindrift and told the lady how much I enjoyed the sledding. She wondered why I hadn’t returned by lunch and figured I may have been having too much fun. I also explained how I was able to get video footage of my experience and she asked me to send her a copy, so I’m hoping to be able to put something together for her. We said our goodbyes and told her I will definitely be returning in the future, and I then made my way back to the park.

DINNER WITH A VIEW

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On my way there, I was actually getting hungry and realized I needed to grab something for dinner. There really isn’t anything in the area except for the Oasis restaurant. The reviews were kind of mixed, but I figured I’d give it a try.

I went up to the counter and asked for a chicken breast sandwich with cheese, fries, and some ice cream. I burned enough calories to earn the ice cream! I chatted with the lady at the counter for a bit while waiting for my food, and she went ahead and got my ice cream out first. They only had vanilla, but it was actually delicious. Creamy and milky. It was a nice sugar boost after all that hiking.

Chicken sandwich with lettuce, pickles, and onion beside a pile of fries in a takeout container.

I got back into the car and drove to the visitor center parking lot. I took a few bites of my sandwich and fries and just enjoyed the view. I looked toward the west and noticed storm clouds and rain showers heading this way. I snapped a few photos and then watched the sand dunes as I drove back to my accommodations. The lighting changed the view of the dunes, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

I finally got back to my sleeping quarters. There wasn’t much of a sunset this evening due to the cloud cover, so it was a reasonably early night. After all that hiking and sledding, I was exhausted, but I was already looking forward to tomorrow. Another day at the dunes meant more opportunities to explore, photograph, and see what adventures awaited me. I had no idea what the next day would bring, but I was ready to find out.

Have you ever tried sand sledding? Would you be brave enough to sled down High Dune?