A great view and activity to get everyone out of the car. The fee is $20 per car and is good for 7 days. The large visitors center has displays, videos, bathrooms, and air conditioning. We were there in early August so there was no runoff from the mountains.
It is a good hike from the parking lot out to the actual dunes. be sure to check their web site for weather info and other alerts.
https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm
We got there about 30 minutes before sunset, everything was glowing orange and beautiful. There is a parking lot next to the visitors center/restaurant/bathrooms. When we got there there were people sitting on the wall that overlooks the lower valley and the beautiful monuments in the distance. Still good pictures no matter where you were.
When leaving and heading east, remember this area is not fenced and is open range - we had to slow and drive around horses on two different occasions.
This was one of our favorite places on our road trip. To add to the flashlight and jackets, be ready for a long drive on dirt roads to get here, and your cell service may not work, which might impact your ability to use google maps. The intersections are not clearly marked, and it could be easy to lose your way. Save this map for offline use to get yourself back to the main road.