Landscapes collide in a shifting sea of sand at Great Sand Dunes National Park, making you wonder whether a spaceship has whisked you to another planet. The 30-sq-mile dune park – the tallest sand peak rises 700ft above the valley floor – is squeezed between the jagged 14,000ft peaks of the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains and the flat, arid scrub-brush of the San Luis Valley.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Top choice in Southeast Colorado
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
27.06 MILES
This wildlife refuge on the banks of the Rio Grande is a special spot, and will give you some idea of what the valley must have looked like before it was…
13.84 MILES
This state wildlife area is a patch of bleak terrain on the edge of the Great Sand Dunes National Park, where dunes covered with saltbush and rabbitbrush...
21.83 MILES
Don't panic! The visiting aliens are harmless. Or mostly harmless anyway. And if you're eager for a glimpse (or perhaps want to leave an offering for a…
27.67 MILES
Located behind the Chamber Depot, this museum has a small but well-arranged collection of ‘then and now’ photographs and artifacts from early farm life in…
17.65 MILES
The Bureau of Land Management has restored the wildlife habitat at Blanca Wetlands, northeast of Alamosa. Activities include fishing for bass or trout in…
26.74 MILES
This small museum is housed in a former town hall and fire station, built in 1879. You can view relics and photographs of regional history. It's located…
22.93 MILES
A restoration of the fort's buildings and exhibits are maintained by the Colorado Historical Society. A good stop for visitor information.
Nearby Southeast Colorado attractions
1. San Luis State Wildlife Area
13.84 MILES
This state wildlife area is a patch of bleak terrain on the edge of the Great Sand Dunes National Park, where dunes covered with saltbush and rabbitbrush...
17.65 MILES
The Bureau of Land Management has restored the wildlife habitat at Blanca Wetlands, northeast of Alamosa. Activities include fishing for bass or trout in…
21.83 MILES
Don't panic! The visiting aliens are harmless. Or mostly harmless anyway. And if you're eager for a glimpse (or perhaps want to leave an offering for a…
22.93 MILES
A restoration of the fort's buildings and exhibits are maintained by the Colorado Historical Society. A good stop for visitor information.
26.74 MILES
This small museum is housed in a former town hall and fire station, built in 1879. You can view relics and photographs of regional history. It's located…
6. Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
27.06 MILES
This wildlife refuge on the banks of the Rio Grande is a special spot, and will give you some idea of what the valley must have looked like before it was…
27.67 MILES
Located behind the Chamber Depot, this museum has a small but well-arranged collection of ‘then and now’ photographs and artifacts from early farm life in…