Day 2 at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
We hiked the Mosca Pass Trail, a scenic 7.4-mile out-and-back route with about 1,400 feet of elevation gain. The trail tops out at 9,750 feet and offers a steady climb through forested terrain, a contrast to the sweeping sand dunes below.
Mosca Pass Trail
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We were told this trail was great for wildflowers, so I set off expecting a colorful show. We walked... and walked… and all I saw was a lonely patch of Rocky Mountain Fleabane with daisy-like lavender blooms. Pretty, but not exactly the floral display I had in mind. I started wondering if someone had come through ahead of us and picked the whole trail clean for a bouquet.
Then finally, right near the end, we came across a beautiful patch of Pasqueflowers, also known as Prairie Crocus. With their fuzzy stems and soft purple petals, they’re one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the mountains—and worth every mile to find.
Early in the hike, we passed another hiking pair who said they’d just seen a lynx ahead (or was it perhaps a bobcat). Just a few steps later, we heard a squirrel barking like crazy in the trees. We looked around at the heavy brush, but no cat in sight. A mile or so later, Danny caught a glimpse of something slipping into the shadows, and a while after that, we heard three distinct cat-like calls on a rocky cliffside.
Back at Piñon Flats Campground, we had a recurring treat: every morning and afternoon, two chipmunks darted around the rock wall just outside our camper window, putting on a performance like clockwork.
After dinner, we took a short drive just outside the park to catch the sunset. The view was stunning. The dunes silhouetted in the foreground with the distant San Juan Mountains behind them, and the sun dropping low.
Then finally, right near the end, we came across a beautiful patch of Pasqueflowers, also known as Prairie Crocus. With their fuzzy stems and soft purple petals, they’re one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the mountains—and worth every mile to find.
Early in the hike, we passed another hiking pair who said they’d just seen a lynx ahead (or was it perhaps a bobcat). Just a few steps later, we heard a squirrel barking like crazy in the trees. We looked around at the heavy brush, but no cat in sight. A mile or so later, Danny caught a glimpse of something slipping into the shadows, and a while after that, we heard three distinct cat-like calls on a rocky cliffside.
Back at Piñon Flats Campground, we had a recurring treat: every morning and afternoon, two chipmunks darted around the rock wall just outside our camper window, putting on a performance like clockwork.
After dinner, we took a short drive just outside the park to catch the sunset. The view was stunning. The dunes silhouetted in the foreground with the distant San Juan Mountains behind them, and the sun dropping low.