3 votes

Star Dune - Great Sand Dunes NPS

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado USA

Independent
Not Wheelchair
Accessible
No Public
Restrooms
No Wifi

“the tallest dune in the country”

There are five dunes over 700 feet tall. The "High Dune" on the first ridge is neither the highest in elevation nor the tallest in the park, but it looks that way from the main parking lot. This is the most common destination in the dunefield, providing a great view of the entire dunefield. It is about 699 feet (198 m) high. Cross the flats and zigzag up the ridgelines to reach it. Average round trip hiking time to the High Dune on the First Ridge is 2 hours. From High Dune, the tallest dune you see to the west is Star Dune, rising 750 feet (229 m) from base to top. It is the tallest dune in North America. To reach it from High Dune, journey another mile and a half up and down across the dunes to its summit. Average round trip hiking time to Star Dune is about 5 hours. The highest dunes above sea level at Great Sand Dunes are those closest to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Add Review

Thanks!

Your Rating

Reviewed by
Tara

94 Reviews
15 Helpful

August 25, 2021

Rated 4.0

I'll say what no one else did on Google maps.... this is an insanely long hike to get TO the dunes. In the heat like we were in.... it would just be dumb. We all agreed that a picture was enough. We came, we saw, we left. 😆I had thought we could park at the base of the dunes. I was wrong. And you know how it is to walk in the sand right?! Lol we saved our legs by just looking and admiring the ginormous dunes. 😊

3 people found this review helpful

Be the first to add a review to the Star Dune - Great Sand Dunes NPS.