Getting Around

Map of the main use area of the national park, showing paved roads in red.

• There are four miles of paved road within the national park, connecting the park entrance with the Visitor Center, Dunes Parking Area/Picnic Area, Mosca Pass Trailhead, and Piñon Flats Campground.

• Visitors with a high-clearance 4WD vehicle may explore the Medano Pass Primitive Road, which goes along the edge of the dunefield then traverses a 10,000 ft (3,048 m) mountain pass to the Wet Mountain Valley. The road is typically open from mid-May through late November. Trailheads including Sand Ramp Trailhead and Medano Lake Trailhead are accessed from this road. Commercial Jeep tours of Medano Pass Primitive Road are available during warmer months.
  
  
• Sand Creek Lakes in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve are accessed via Music Pass Trailhead. This trailhead requires a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, and is a 2.5 hour drive from the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center.
  
  
• Liberty Gate Trailhead is a backcountry trailhead providing access to the north side of the national park.

 

The newest free public EV charging station is located at Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center, located 30 miles southeast of the national park on US 160. Visitors can learn about the multifaceted history of the San Luis Valley while charging their vehicle.

Fort Garland Museum

Vehicle Charging and Gas Stations

• There are a number of EV (electric vehicle) charging stations in the San Luis Valley on your way to and from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. A map showing EV stations in the San Luis Valley is maintained on the Alamosa County tourism website.
  

• The closest year-round, 24-hour gas stations are located in Mosca (23 miles west) and Fort Garland (30 miles southeast). The Oasis Store, just outside the park entrance, has gas pumps that are open April through October only during business hours.