Hiking the Sand Pit Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park
Distance: 1.2 miles / 1.9 km
The Sand Pit Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park is a beautiful, fun, and relatively easy adventure that is often overlooked by most who visit Great Sand Dunes to explore the dune field.
By this, I mean that I like to think of the Sand Pit Trail as a great alternative point of access to the much more popular Medano Creek Trailhead, where the High Dune and Star Dune Trails begin.
To this point, the Sand Pit Trail is also a great access trail to some of the Great Sand Dunes’ best backcountry adventures, such as backcountry camping and the remote Hidden Dune, which you can learn more about at the end of this article.
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Sand Pit Trailhead Parking
The Sand Pit Trailhead is located at the Point of No Return, about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) from the point where the pavement ends on Medano Pass Primitive Road.
That being said, there is a parking area closer to the dune field, about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) past the pavement. However, this trailhead is past the Point of No Return, which is reserved for 4WD vehicles only.
This is all to say that the pavement ends near the Piñon Flats Campground, but most vehicles should be able to make it as far as the Point of No Return, provided that the road is in good condition and is snow-free.
Google Maps Directions: Sand Pit Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Great Sand Dunes
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Sand Pit Trail
The Sand Pit Trailhead can be found just past the Point of No Return parking area, on the left-hand side of the road.
For the most part, the Sand Pit Trail follows a relatively easy and straightforward downhill path directly toward the sand dunes, with Mt. Herald towering above the dune field in the distance.
Throughout much of the spring, summer, and early fall, wildflowers can be enjoyed throughout Great Sand Dunes National Park, and the Sand Pit Trail can be one of the best places to enjoy them!
Sun Shirts
If this is your first time in the area, you’re likely unprepared for how strong the sun can be.
For this reason, I recommend picking up a quality, hooded sun shirt if you plan to do any hiking. Protection from the sun cannot be overstated, and in my experience, sunscreen alone has never been enough over a multi-day visit, especially if you’re visiting during the summer season!
Sand Pit Picnic Area Junction
After about 0.3 miles (0.5 km), the Sand Pit Trail splits for the only time with the trail that leads to the Sand Pit Picnic Area.
This is the much closer trailhead mentioned previously, where 4WD vehicles have the option to park closer to Medano Creek and the dune field.
That being said, go left to stay on the more trafficked side of the Sand Pit Trail, which leads to Medano Creek shortly ahead.
As the Sand Pit Trail nears Medano Creek, the trail will begin descending a short hill, followed immediately by the crossing.
Medano Creek
Whether beginning here or at the Medano Creek Trailhead, where the High Dune and Star Dune Trails begin, Medano Creek is the infamous right of passage to get to the dune field.
With that said, Medano Creek typically flows across the Sand Pit Trail much later in the season compared to the dune field access point on the High Dune Trail, due entirely to the fact that it is located further upstream.
There’s no straightforward way across Medano Creek, but these photos from late in the season show a relatively easy crossing compared to how it can appear at different times of the year.
On the far side of Medano Creek, visitors have the option to hike in any number of directions, with most climbing the nearby foothills in order to go sledding down the first few smaller dunes.
This is the end of the Sand Pit Trail, which is the foothills of the expansive 30-square-mile dune field.
Hidden Dune Trail
Past the end of the Sand Pit Trail, hikers can continue exploring the dune field in any number of directions, with the most popular destination being the Hidden Dune.
That said, the Sand Pit Trail is the best access point in Great Sand Dunes National Park to hike to Hidden Dune, a very remote sand dune in the heart of the 30-square-mile dune field that is in constant competition with Star Dune for being the tallest in North America.
However, I don’t recommend comparing the hike to Hidden Dune with Star Dune, as the Hidden Dune is more remote, less trafficked, and harder to find in comparison. But, just like the detailed instructions I gave for hiking to Star Dune, I have also written an entirely separate article about the best and most efficient route to Hidden Dune.
I made mistakes when I visited for the first time, but thanks to my experience, I can now share the best and most straightforward trail through the dune field in my separate article.
Read My Separate Post: Hidden Dune Trail
More Great Sand Dune Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Great Sand Dunes National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
Almost all of the safety factors that the National Park Service focuses on are centered around the weather.
By this, I mean that the National Park Service reports extremes, such as the surface temperature of the sand dunes reaching up to 150˚F (65.6˚C) in the summer, while in the winter, the park, including the dunes, can be completely covered in snow.
For this reason, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is best visited in strategic ways, meaning that certain adventures are best for some seasons, while others are best for different times of the year.
For example, to explore the Dune Field in July, the National Park Service recommends early morning or late evening hikes only. However, this can be one of the better times of the year to head to some of the upper-elevations trails, such as Mt. Herald.
That said, Black bears are known to be found in the hills and mountains surrounding the Great Sand Dunes dune field, and while hiking in black bear territory usually presents less danger compared to grizzlies, hiking with bear spray is never a bad idea. However, it’s really up to your own discretion and comfort level.
Finally, afternoon thunderstorms in high mountain west areas, such as this, are a serious concern, especially in the dune field! For this reason, I highly recommend checking Mountain Forecast before hiking in the summer monsoon season, as this is one of the best and most reliable resources for upper elevation weather around the world.
I say this because I unfortunately got caught in a lightning storm in a remote part of the Star Dune Trail, and it was one of the scarier lightning experiences I’ve ever had, as there is quite literally nothing taller or more conductive than yourself when surrounded by nothing but sand.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Great Sand Dunes National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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