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Colorado
0.2 mi
Distance
0 ft
Gain
No conditions check on file for this trail yet — always verify current conditions before you go.
Why you'll love it
Mosca Pass
AI-suggested draft · review before you go
Just above the dunefield are forests of aspen, pine, fir, and spruce. The easiest hiking access to forest in the national park is in Mosca Pass, on the Montville Nature Trail and Mosca Pass Trail. On these trails, you are walking in the footsteps of Pleistocene mammoth hunters, indigenous tribes, diverse settlers, American explorers, and 19th century African American Buffalo Soldiers. Montville Nature Trail This is the easiest, most popular forest hike in the park. In summer, keep this hike as an option for afternoon as an escape from the heat of the dunes. Walk along a shady forested trail named for a late 1800s settlement, comprising 20 houses in its heydey. Rest near the trail's highpoint, where you'll find views of Mt. Herard, the dunes and the valley. A booklet available at the trailhead provides numbered stops to learn about this historic community and the mountain pass above it. Round Trip Hike: 0.5 mile (1 km) Elevation Gain: 200 feet (60 m) Average Time: 30 minutes Mosca Pass Trail This trail continues past Montville Nature Trail, following a small creek to the summit of a low pass in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Though views are limited, it has shady aspen and evergreen forests. Round Trip Hike: 7 miles (11 km) Elevation Gain: 1400 feet (427 m) Average Time: 3.5 hours
Medano Creek
~1 min drive
<p>Medano Creek is a popular seasonal stream enjoyed by all ages. On this page you'll learn what to expect month-by-month in an average year, and how the rare phenomon 'surge flow' works. You can also link to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/medano-creek.htm">cu…
Raspberry
~11 min drive
7.1 mi · Moderate
Huerfano
~12 min drive
8.7 mi · Hard
Sand Creek Basin
~25 min drive
<p>Sand Creek Basin is part of the alpine watershed of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. A longer drive and hike is required to reach these lakes and peaks, but the mountain scenery is worth the effort. Check with a ranger for conditions before travel. Snow may block these t…
High Dune on First Ridge
~3 min drive
The high dune on the first ridge is neither the highest in elevation nor the tallest in the dunefield, but it looks that way from the main parking lot. This is the most common destination in the dunefield, providing a great view of the entire dunefield. It is about 692 feet (2…
Zapata
~11 min drive
3.7 mi · Moderate
Ute
~13 min drive
6.8 mi · Hard
Humboldt
~28 min drive
2.7 mi · Easy
Star Dune
~5 min drive
Star Dune is currently tied with Hidden Dune as the two tallest dunes in North America. It is a majestic dune now measuring 741 feet (225 m) from base to summit. While it can be hiked from the summit of High Dune on First Ridge, it's more direct, and less up and down, to acces…
Willow Lake
~33 min drive
9.7 mi · Moderate
