Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
Great Sand Dunes Wilderness is a 32,643-acre wilderness area in Saguache County, Colorado. It rises from about 7,674 to 10,563 ft. The nearest town is Crestone, 12.5 miles away in a straight line.
Great Sand Dunes Wilderness map
Great Sand Dunes Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Crestone, CO is the nearest town, 12.5 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Great Sand Dunes Wilderness is about 10,563 ft, and its lowest about 7,674 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 32,643 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 719-378-6399 |
Getting to Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
- Crestone, CO is the nearest town, 12.5 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
- Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: US Highway 160.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Great Sand Dunes Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-30. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Trailheads at Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
- Dunes Access Trailhead (0.19 mi outside the boundary, 8,155 ft), at 37.7331, -105.5131 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Sand Ramp Trailhead (0.37 mi outside the boundary, 8,535 ft), at 37.8008, -105.5004 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Sand Pit Trailhead (0.4 mi outside the boundary, 8,384 ft), at 37.7585, -105.5012 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Mosca Pass Trailhead (0.42 mi outside the boundary, 8,240 ft), at 37.7342, -105.5086 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Sawmill Canyon Access Trailhead (0.44 mi outside the boundary, 8,355 ft), at 37.7554, -105.5025 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Wellington Ditch Trailhead (0.57 mi outside the boundary, 8,298 ft), at 37.7439, -105.5037 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-30. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-co.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Campgrounds in and around Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
Pinon Flats Campground (0.4 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Public lands next to Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
- National Park Service unitGreat Sand Dunes Wilderness lies inside Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.
- Wilderness areaGreat Sand Dunes Wilderness borders Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.
- National forestRio Grande National Forest is 1 mile away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- National forestPike and San Isabel National Forests is 2.5 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Colorado
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- openstreetmap.org (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.