Great Sand Dunes Passes
Every Great Sand Dunes wilderness-permit entry point on recreation.gov - AllTrails ratings, demand scores, and a trailhead map.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve pairs the tallest dunes in North America with the alpine backcountry of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado. A backpacking permit is required for overnight trips, covering either the open dunefield interior or one of the designated Sand Ramp Trail campsites. Popular summer dates fill up, so it pays to book as soon as your date becomes available.
Top Great Sand Dunes entry points
The most in-demand entry points, ranked by how fast each one books up on recreation.gov.
- Indian Grove - Very high demand - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Dunes Backcountry - Very high demand - 4.4 on AllTrails
- Little Medano - High demand - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Escape Dunes - Moderate demand - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Buck Creek - Moderate demand - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Sand Creek - Low demand - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Cold Creek - Easy to get - 4.2 on AllTrails
- Aspen - Easy to get - 4.2 on AllTrails
Popular trails
- Star Dune - 4.4 on AllTrails
- Sand Ramp Trail - 4.2 on AllTrails