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The Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park is situated in southern Colorado, exterior of the city of Alamosa. Driving there from Raton, New Mexico after our keep at Vermejo took about 3 hours. It was situated a strong hour+ after pulling off the freeway and whereas the scenic drive is gorgeous I saved thinking- the place the heck are we going? We’re in the course of nowhere!
Center of nowhere we have been, however positive sufficient as we noticed the signal for the city of Alamosa, all types of indicators of civilization popped into view- quite a lot of scrumptious wanting Mexican eating places, motels, accommodations, retailers, a movie show, a Walmart, and even a small airport. That’s one factor I believe is so neat about out west- it goes from huge open nation to a full blown city in a matter of minutes.
We stayed on the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Alamosa. The rooms have been cosy however clear. From our resort it was a couple of 40 minute drive to the gates of Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park, which seems to be about par for the course from a number of the accessible place to remain.
We arrived on Thursday afternoon and went straight to lease sandboards at Kristi Mountain Sports activities. The girl working there was a wealth of knowledge and ready us effectively for a day on the dunes. Afterwards we met everybody at Calvillo’s for dinner. The place was very busy and the workers was struggling to maintain up with the demand, however the meals was implausible!
The women and I tucked into mattress early that night time to prepare to organize for an early get up whereas David hit up Walmart with the remainder of the crew to purchase groceries for the subsequent day. Apparently I fell asleep and locked him out of the room- whoops! However alas, all of us received night time sleep and awoke at 6:30 the subsequent morning to beat the gang and the warmth.
It wasn’t too far as soon as you bought previous the gate to get to the primary parking zone for the dunes and we received an awesome parking spot. We wandered by the little little bit of vegetation and arrived at a most opulent site- the dunes!
It’s onerous to convey in photos simply how majestic wanting they’re in particular person. It’s different worldly. For context, to achieve the highest of the pictured dunes is about an hour to an hour and a half hike. We walked shoeless throughout Medano Creek.
Medano Creek, which you see trickling throughout the forefront of the picture under, has a seasonal “surge’ and excessive movement is usually in Might by early June. In accordance with the web site, this yr’s movement was just one/4 of common, making at an awesome little spot to stroll throughout to chill down, however not a lot a spot you possibly can tube.
We have been instructed to put on lengthy, gentle weight leggings or pants, tall socks to guard our toes from the nice and cozy sand, no sneakers as a result of they’ll get weighed down with sand, and solar safety. We opted for solar shirts and hats.
The temperature was cool and dry as we set off up the dunes. There have been two board choices, one is a sled that you simply sit on and one other was a board, comparable seeking to a snowboard, that you simply stood on. Our group received a combination of boards, however we caught principally to the sled type.
It was a couple of half-hour stroll till we received to a spot that Hailey and Kaitlyn may take their first trip. Now, one thing to learn about Hailey is that she HATES sand. She has hated sand since she was a child and would scream and pull her legs up after I tried to place her toes in it on the seashore. So she was just about dwelling her worst nightmare by climbing and sledding down an enormous mountain of sand. Nevertheless, she placed on a courageous face and determined to go for it.
Each ladies went onerous for about 45 minutes. Hailey really loved the mountain climbing, however not a lot the using down- too sandy. Kaitlyn ran up and rode down small sides of dunes a number of instances. Then they each hit a metaphorical wall and utterly melted down. Possibly they have been sick of sand or the truth that it was beginning to warmth up or that they’d run out of water, however they have been performed. We despatched them strolling again to Mema and Grandpa so David and I may tackle a couple of runs.
Our first run was the steepest we had encountered and fairly lengthy by dine requirements. I used to be excited to have a flip all to myself, so I set myself up in good using stance, toes on the black strips, arms out to me facet and barely again, and leaning again. And off I went!
Oh my goodness yall, it was like a TIDAL WAVE of sand that flew over me and shortly sufficient I had no alternative however to shut my eyes and mouth, dig my arms into the sand as a lot as doable, and pray I’d make it safely to the underside. It was onerous to do as a result of I used to be additionally cracking up laughing the entire time, however not practically as onerous as I used to be after I reached backside and realized I used to be coated in a thick layer of sand and that my sleeves have been weighed down with buckets of sand that had infiltrated them.
I regarded again up at David and was going to encourage him to take one other route, however off he went, following my identical path with the identical consequence. By the point he reached the underside, we have been each a bit of shell shocked and dying with laughter.
We made a couple of extra runs earlier than returning to our chairs to share our tales and examine on the children. Fortunately the children had turned into bathing fits and couldn’t be happier to be splashing within the creek, creating castles and lands with drippy sand.
We went out with Mema for a trip and she or he confirmed us the way it was done- no loopy coating of sand for her! My nieces and nephews (ages 11-17) LOVED the expertise. They went to the highest of the dunes a number of instances and couldn’t appear to get sufficient. Only for some reference in case your inquisitive about which ages the expertise is greatest for.
Whereas the sand making up the dunes received extremely popular, the climate on the base was very nice. We had chairs arrange alongside the creek to look at the children. It received steadily busier however there was nonetheless a number of room for everybody to unfold out. It was harking back to a seashore day and we hauled our cooler out to make sandwiches and distribute chilly drinks.
After lunch we drove to see the customer middle to earn our junior ranger badges. A variety of the reveals have been nonetheless plastic wrapped and shut down from Covid and there was no AC within the place, so the women labored onerous and rapidly to earn their badges, then we took off searching for cooler temperatures.
We have been informed Zapata Falls, simply exterior the park entrance, was price a cease, so we drove out of the park to test it out. The path is brief, maybe a half a mile lengthy, however it’s steep and dusty. The payoff although is totally price it!
As you attain the path finish, you see the creek, which is evident and chilly, effervescent over rocks. Their are timber offering shade and the temperature instantly drops about 20 levels. It felt unbelievable.
Following the stream up a brief bit (Keens are perfect for this, as you’ll stroll by the water on the rocks), the stream takes you inside a cave and to a tall waterfall. It was such a reviving and delightful expertise! I didn’t deliver my digicam, however snapped a couple of fast photos with my cellphone.
After the falls, it was closing in on the night, so we headed again into the park to discover a good place to arrange dinner. There are a number of picnicking websites accessible and we have been pleasantly stunned to search out most of them empty. We picked one and received to cooking up bratwursts and hotdogs with potato salad, coleslaw, apples, and chips. Smores for dessert!
After dinner we went again to the dunes for sundown. My nieces and nephews did a couple of extra sand dunes runs whereas the remainder of us watched them and took within the unbelievable views of the solar setting behind the dunes, creating a stunning twilight.
We headed out of the park after the solar was down to move again to the resort the place all of us completely loved our night bathe. Days later I used to be nonetheless discovering sand in locations the place sand didn’t belong, however it was effectively price it, because the Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park ended up being one of many particular highlights from our journey!
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