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Great Sand Dunes

pabloconrad

NAXJA Forum User
So, me and my girlfriend are going to tool around the Great Sand Dunes at the end of May for about a week.

Where are some more isolated spots for camping, and what are some cool (moderate) trails?

What about towns with resources, etc.

I've never been there so I'd like to do some exploring.

Then we're going to Moab for a few days.
 
I've never camped there, but I have seen plenty of tents beside Medano Pass road.

Some thoughts:
* I'm sure you're planning on taking pictures.
I had a friend tell me that the sand/wind ruined one of her cameras. (take protection)
* I've seen some pretty neat b&w pictures of the dunes.
One had the moon in the background...reall cool!
* There's lots of stinging nettle in the area - try baking soda poultice to treat it.
* There's a free airing-up station near the campground at the base of the dunes.

read this one: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=62974
 
Definitely head up Medano Pass and camp. It's national forest outside the park. If the spring runoff is still strong the creek crossings can be deep. First trail I ever ran, total ignorance, I came so close to hydrolocking the engine in a stocker it still gives me chills.

Fred
 
Coming up 150 from 160 heading to the sand dunes there is a turn off on the right about 3 miles down 150. IIRC its CR 975. Its about 8 miles long and lead to como lake, which has amazing views.


Its not till a few miles in that the road gets impassible by stock trucks.

But If you deicide to go up there it well worth it. Just be carefull you mught get caught up in a line of trail dancers, so pick your days wisely.
 
Definitely go up Medano Pass, I've camped there several times. The best campsites are after the 3rd river crossing in my opinion.
 
http://www.geocities.com/georgealexsill/Trinchera1.html
Off 160 is Laveta and just south is Cuchera hang a right past Cuchera and you can climb this mountain and find all kind of places to camp. Trail is not too bad. This may be a good first night stop on your way down south. The trail starts like a dirt road and is between blue and bear lake. Check out the Dog Bar in Cuchera for grub and locals.
 
Boulder_jeeps said:
Coming up 150 from 160 heading to the sand dunes there is a turn off on the right about 3 miles down 150. IIRC its CR 975. Its about 8 miles long and lead to como lake, which has amazing views.


Its not till a few miles in that the road gets impassible by stock trucks.

But If you deicide to go up there it well worth it. Just be carefull you mught get caught up in a line of trail dancers, so pick your days wisely.
Isn't that Mt Blanka? Just past that turn for Blanka is a road to a waterfall. You have to hike to the fall and it's not a four wheel drive trail but its cool to walk up and into the falls.
 
This is what the start of the trail to como lake looks like:
trailhead.jpg


This is about half way up:
jaws_2_part_5.jpg


And here is Como lake:
lake_como_part_2.jpg

 
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