The tallest sand dunes in North America, formed by sand trapped over millennia against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Area
342 km²
Protection category
IUCN II
Parque nacional —
Designated in
2004
Declared a national park in 2004 after previously operating as a national monument, it protects the tallest sand dunes in North America, the tallest of them about 230 metres, formed over millennia by winds that trapped sediment from an ancient dried-up lake against the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The park is home to the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle (Cicindela theatina), one of at least seven endemic insects found only in this dunefield.
Location
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Great Sand Dunes: 37 documented species
Mammals12Birds10Reptiles5Amphibians
Flora and ecosystems
Ecosystems found in the United States, where Great Sand Dunes lies.
DesertTemperate forestTundra / polarWetland
Experiences in this park
Birdwatching
Wildlife you can see now
What is worth looking out for this month in the United States?
Now is a good time: Urban bat colony under Congress Avenue Bridge (March to November (peak in summer))
Similar parks
Which other parks are like this one?
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about this park.
United States
