Scenic Drive to Great Sand Dunes
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After our time in Durango, we set out toward Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The drive alone was an experience. We followed U.S. Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass, crossing the Continental Divide. We pulled off at the summit for lunch, eating with a view of snow-covered peaks stretching in every direction.
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Descending from the pass, the road wound alongside the Rio Grande, adding a ribbon of green to the mountain landscape. As we approached the park, we entered the San Luis Valley, a wide-open basin framed by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The vast, flat valley floor stood in sharp contrast to the rugged peaks rising along its edge.
By late afternoon, we arrived at Piñon Flats Campground. Our campsite sat at the base of the mountains, with the dunes just beyond. After a full day of mountain passes and open valleys, it felt good to settle in and take in the completely unexpected sight of towering sand dunes rising against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.
By late afternoon, we arrived at Piñon Flats Campground. Our campsite sat at the base of the mountains, with the dunes just beyond. After a full day of mountain passes and open valleys, it felt good to settle in and take in the completely unexpected sight of towering sand dunes rising against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.