Hiking the Wellington Ditch Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park
Distance (One Way via Wellington Only): 0.9 miles / 1.4 km
The Wellington Ditch Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park follows the path of a historic ditch built by some of the park’s earliest settlers, the Wellington family, who homesteaded in this formidable environment in the 1920s.
This ditch was used to divert water to their cabin, which can still be seen from the visitor center and trail today. Furthermore, names like Wellington, as well as others like Herald, explain why certain places within the park bear the names they carry to this day.
Today, park visitors can enjoy the Wellington Ditch Trail as a one-way or out-and-back hike that follows along the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, parallel to the dunes.
By this, I mean that the Wellington Ditch Trail can make for a great one-way adventure if you have someone in your party who isn’t interested in hiking the full trail. Alternatively, the entirety of the trail can be hiked both ways, connecting both the Montville Nature Loop Trail and Piñon Flats Campground for a 2.2-mile (3.5 km) roundtrip hike.
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!
Wellington Ditch Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Wellington Ditch Trail is located at either the Montville Nature Loop Trailhead or the Wellington Ditch Trailhead within Piñon Flats Campground.
That said, parking within Piñon Flats is strictly limited to a small area, as the vast majority of parking stalls within the campground are designated for campsites. Please read the signs carefully.
Google Maps Directions: Montville Trailhead / Wellington Ditch Trailhead (Piñon)
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 Wellington Ditch Trail
Personally, I chose to hike the Wellington Ditch Trail from south to north, beginning at the Montville Trailhead, but I think that it truly makes no difference whichever direction you choose to hike.
On a different note, the beginning of the Montville Nature Loop is also the junction with the 0.25-mile (0.4 km) access trail between the visitor center and Montville Trailhead.
This is important to mention because the National Park Service does not allow RV or trailer parking at the Montville Trailhead, meaning that the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center is the best place for larger vehicles to park.
To skip past the Montville Trail to the beginning of the Wellington Ditch Trail, click here.
The trail markers on the Montville Nature Trail begin shortly after the trailhead and continue throughout the 0.5-mile (0.8 km) loop.
With that in mind, trail guides can be found at the Montville Trailhead or by asking the staff in the visitor center just down the road.
Montville Nature Loop Trail
Almost immediately after beginning the hike, the Montville Trail splits into the 0.4-mile (0.6 km) loop, with most visitors choosing to go right, in the counterclockwise direction, to follow the numbered markers.
However, the fastest route to the Wellington Ditch Trail is to the left, as shown in the photos below.
By going left on the Montville Nature Loop, the trail to the Wellington Ditch junction will follow the numbered markers in reverse, from high to low.
Wellington Ditch-Montville Nature Loop Junction
After 0.2 miles (0.3 km), the Montville Nature Loop finally reaches the beginning of the Wellington Ditch Trail.
At this junction, go left, like a switchback, to begin hiking toward Piñon Flats, or to read about the rest of the Montville Loop to Mosca Pass and back around, click on the link below.
Read My Separate Post: Montville Nature Loop Trail
Wellington Ditch Trail
Once on the Wellington Ditch Trail, the trail simply follows the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains through a predominantly Pinyon Pine–Rocky Mountain Juniper forest, with very little elevation change between Montville and the trailhead in the Piñon Flats Campground.
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!
It’s important to mention that Black Bears are more common in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Range than in areas closer to the dune field.
This includes hikes in Great Sand Dunes, such as the Montville Nature Loop, Mosca Pass, the Wellington Ditch, the Dunes Overlook Trail, along with a number of other backcountry adventures that are far less popular.
This is all to say that hiking with bear spray is truly up to your own discretion, but it’s important to be aware of their presence.
Wellington Cabin
Between 0.2 - 0.4 miles (0.3 - 0.6 km) after leaving the Montville Loop, the Wellington Cabin starts to become visible through the Pinyon Pine and Juniper trees below the trail.
It can be seen in the photo here, which you can find on Google Maps using the link below.
Google Maps Directions: Wellington Cabin
These middle sections along the historic Wellington Ditch Trail are among the best to enjoy views of the dunes or even the sunset if you are looking for a nice, uncrowded place in Great Sand Dunes to catch it!
When the Wellington Ditch Trail leaves and begins to re-enter the Pinyon Pine-Juniper forest on the northern end, it’s a nice sign that you’re nearing Piñon Flats.
Piñon Flats Campground
As previously mentioned, the northern end of the Wellington Ditch Trail is located within the Piñon Flats Campground, which park visitors can reserve using the link or widget below.
In any case, the Wellington Ditch Trail is a fairly easy, straightforward adventure that many in the park often overlook because it’s not the most traditional out-and-back hike with two trailheads. However, this is what can make the hike more special, as very few visitors hike the historic trail compared to other, more popular hikes, like the High Dune.
Book Here: Piñon Flats Campground
No information is collected by this website when using the Recreation.gov booking widget, and all reservations made here are secure through the official website.
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
All information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for information or advice from qualified professionals or managing agencies.
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