Great Sand Dunes
National Monument-Colorado
All images and text taken from National Monument brochure
The Great Sand Dunes- information and images from National Park Service Pamphlet
The Great Sand Dunes National Monument:
Just outside the National Forest off highway 160 , Sitting among the mountain peaks lies North Americas' tallest dunes rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The wind shaped dunes providea geologic wonderland, containing 30 square miles of dunes, which became a national monument in 1932. Then in 2000 as part of President Clinton's legacy to this great nation ,he spearheaded the passage of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000, resources now also include alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000' in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands--all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species.
History:
The Great Sand Dunes are the tallest sand dunes in North America. These dunes have been built up to 750 feet by billions of grains of sand that have been blown across the San Luis Valley by wind. The dunes cove approximately 39 square miles. Though "out of place here in the Colorado Rockies- all of the ingredients needed to create dunes are present Sand, Wind, and time.
As you can see from the depiction above The Great Sand Dunes were created by winds blowing toward the northeast across the San Luis Valley. Sands carried by the winds were deposited at the foot of the high Sangre De Cristo Mountains who have many peaks over 14,000'.
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Directions/More Information
Call or contact:
Great Sand Dunes National Monument
11999 Highway 150 Mosca, CO 81146-9798
719-378-2312
www.nps.gov/grsa
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