Colorado's Great Sand Dunes Hide A Short-Lived Creek Perfect For Swimming, Tubing, And Family-Friendly Fun

Colorado is famously home to the towering Rocky Mountains. Yet, for a landlocked state, Colorado also has a surprising number of beaches to enjoy. Take, for example, the "mountain beach" right in the middle of downtown Buenavista. But there is one secret beach that lasts for only a few weeks a year. In the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, tucked into the San Luis Valley, is Medano Creek, which only flows when the snowmelt from the mountains rolls down into the unique geography of Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park. The result is a perfect but short-lived beach that devoted fans wait all year to swim.

To visit, you'll need to head more than 200 miles south of Denver to Alamosa, the hub of the San Luis Valley and the gateway to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. From there, you can park near the visitor's center and walk to the creek. Depending on the weather and rainfall in a particular season, this could be up to a 3-mile hike. Otherwise, you'll need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle to get on the Medano Pass Primitive Road to access the creek. The best time to experience the Medano Creek is from late April through June, but check the National Park Service website for flow conditions. Unfortunately, the window for this unique sand dunes experience is tantalizingly brief!

Late May is when Medano Creek reaches peak flow, cascading down the mountains and pooling at the base of the sand dunes in the national park. With each surge flow, the water ripples out with beach-like waves perfect for splashing in these shallow waters. Tubing and floating are only possible for small kids, even at peak flow, but skimboarding (like surfing but in shallow water) is an activity that both youths and adults can enjoy here. If you're thinking of propping up a speaker for some beach music, don't. The park doesn't allow any Bluetooth speakers or sound disturbances. Instead, it wants visitors to hear the natural sounds of the park. These include what are known as the singing sands — deep humming sounds caused by the avalanche of sand grains rubbing together down the dunes.

Another seasonal activity in Great Sand Dunes National Park happens in February and March, when birders come from all over to watch the sandhill crane migration. There are 250 species of birds in the park, but the greater sandhill crane is iconic. Each year, an estimated 20 thousand cranes stop by the Great Sand Dunes on their way from New Mexico to Canada.

Sandboarding and sand sledding down the dunes are thrilling activities available year-round in the park for any adventure seeker. Sand sleds (and skim boards) are not available in the park, though. So, if you need to rent, be sure to pick them up beforehand; equipment rentals are available near the park entrance as well as in Alamosa. Hiking is also popular in Great Sand Dunes National Park and possible in any season. You can hike anywhere on the 30 square miles of sand dunes without having to worry about going off trail, because the dunes are totally trail free. A favorite destination for many park visitors — if you prefer to have a specific destination — is the trek over sand to the summit of High Dune, which provides great views of the entire dunefield. 

Great Sand Dunes National Park offers a complete immersion in nature. The visitor center has limited facilities, and there are no restaurants or lodging inside the park. There are picnic grounds and campsites, however. The closest place to stock up on food is the Great Dunes Oasis by the park entrance, which has a restaurant and motel, sells food and gas, and rents sandboards. Alternatively, you can pack your picnic baskets at Alamosa on the way in.

Within the park, Piñon Flats Campground has individual and group campsites and is accessible to RVs (not exceeding 25 feet). There are no hookups, however, and no showers, though in summer, you can find outdoor rinse showers in the Dunes Parking Lot. This is a popular campsite and open only from April to October, so reserve in advance to secure a spot. If you don't want to pitch a tent of your own, Rustic Rook Resort has glamping options just outside the park. These include furnished tents with bathrooms and grain bin villas — grain bins converted into loft suites, complete with kitchens and bathrooms. Meanwhile, Colorado has so many other bodies of water to explore, with more than 2,000 lakes and 90 thousand miles of rivers spread out across the state. It takes a hike to get there, but Sandbeach Lake is one of Colorado's best secret beaches.