Quick Stats
Creation Date
September 13, 2004
Entrance Fee
$3 per person per week
Lowest Elevation
7,520 feet near San Luis Lakes
Highest Elevation
13,604 feet at Tijeras Peak
Lowest Average Temp
8°F in January
Record Low Temp
-25°F in 1963
Highest Average Temp
80°F in July
Record High Temp
96°F in 1982
Park Creation Timeline
1932
In 1932 President Herbert Hoover signs the proclamation creating Great Sand Dunes National Monument, which included only the dunefield.
2000
On November 22, 2000, President Bill Clinton signs the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act, with the ultimate goal of creating a national park.
2004
On September 13, 2004, President George W. Bush signs the bill officially creating the national park.
Animals and Plants
Large mammals include pronghorn, rocky mountain elk, black bears, mountain lions, bison, and bighorn sheep. Smaller mammals include wolverines, kangaroo rats, marmots, and pikas.
Reptiles include bullsnakes, smooth green snakes, western garter snakes, short-horned lizards, plateau lizards, many-lined skinks, and painted turtles. Amphibians include tiger salamanders, Great Plains and Woodhouse's toads
With over 6,000 feet of vertical relief, the park is home to a wide variety of plant zones. Saltgrass, rabbitbrush, prickly pear and yucca are at the lower elevations. The standard pinyon-juniper woodlands are found at the base of the mountains. Further up the mountains are douglas fir, white fir, ponderosa pine and aspen. Spruce is even further up, and above treeline the tundra exists.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Info at (719) 378-6300
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