Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve guide · 1 min read
Camping at Piñon Flats and on the Dunes
Piñon Flats Campground sits inside the park, close to the main parking area and Medano Creek.
Camping there is quite unlike bedding down on the sand, yet you still spend the night within the park boundary.
Because the park draws many visitors, campground stays are worth booking early. Reservations typically open several months before a visit, so anyone planning for the busiest stretch of the year should be ready when the window opens. Each campground's own page on Recreation.gov lists its booking window and which sites remain.
For a night on the dunes themselves, a backcountry dune permit lets you pitch a tent at any spot across the dunefield. Up to 20 groups may camp each night, and no group can hold more than six people. The dunefield contains the tallest dunes in North America, so you wake up right among them.
Great Sand Dunes Lodge sits just outside the park boundary, south of the main entrance. It is a modern motel with a pool. Next door, Great Sand Dunes Oasis has motel rooms, a campground with 20 recreational vehicle sites, and sandboard rentals.
Beyond the dunes, the national preserve is part of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area and allows backpacking with a permit. Campsites must be at least 200 feet from trails and 300 feet from water. Stick to gas stoves, since wood fires are not allowed, and keep dogs on a short leash. Groups are capped at 15 people, and each campsite holds one party. For stargazing, pick a night without a moon, since the park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park and its sky is full of stars.
