Located in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve can be reached via commercial plane flight to Denver or Colorado Springs in Colorado, or to Albuquerque, New Mexico, then rental car for the remainder of your journey to the park. You may also fly into San Luis Valley Regional Airport in Alamosa, Colorado, located 31 miles (50 km) from the park, but flights are limited. Drive times from the larger airports range between three-to-five hours.
Area map showing paved access roads to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve / NPS file
If you are arriving anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains, the most direct route to this national park from Denver, Colorado Springs, or Pueblo, Colorado, is via Interstate 25 south, then right onto U.S. Route 160 west, and finally Colorado State Highway 150 north.
From Albuquerque, New Mexico, is north on I-25 to Santa Fe, then north on US 285 to Alamosa. From Alamosa, take either U.S. Highway 160 east and State Highway 150 north, or State Highway 17 north and County Lane 6 east from Mosca.
West of the Rockies, the most direct route is east via U.S. Highway 50, south on U.S. Highway 285 to State Highway 17 and south to either Mosca and County Lane 6 east, or further on to Alamosa, then east on U.S. Highway, then north on State Highway 150.
It’s a good idea to not always rely on your vehicle’s GPS system as visitors have often been misdirected to primitive roads or even hiking trails to reach the park.
If driving an electric vehicle (EV), you’ll need to make note of available recharging stations. Great Sand Dunes is wide-open landscape surrounded by relatively small rural communities.
According to mycoloradoparks,com:
Just down the road from the park in Mosca, Great Sand Dunes Oasis RV & Camping, 2-98 Pinon Cir., has NEMA 14-50 outlets available with a campground reservation.
The college town of Alamosa is the closest major town to the park 30 minutes away. You’ll find Level II J-1772 chargers at the First Southwest Bank (531 Edison Ave) and the Alamosa Public Library (306 Hunt Ave).
The closest Level III charger is in Del Norte, 35 minutes from Alamosa.
The road to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson
