The sand dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park are really great. They are the tallest sand dunes in North America and a truly spectacular sight to behold. But where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park for the best experience?
Right at the park border, you find the Great Sand Dunes lodging with the best park access. But in the nearest bigger town Alamosa, there’s a bigger selection of Great Sand Dunes National Park hotels.
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Table of contents
- Great Sand Dunes NP – At park
- Alamosa – Gateway town
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes is located in the remote southern Colorado. There are no places to stay within Great Sand Dunes National Park, but you find lodging just a few miles away.
If you want the best possible access to the park, Great Sand Dunes Lodge and Zapata Ranch provide Great Sand Dunes lodging just a stone’s throw from the park. From both options it’s just a short drive to get to the dunes in the park.
Great Sand Dunes Lodge is located right at the park border and 4 miles (6 km) from Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center. So the popular lodge is the best place to stay near Great Sand Dunes if you want the ultimate access.
Zapata Ranch is 8 miles (13 km) from Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center, which also means great access. The historic ranch offers ranch vacation packages with more focus points than just exploration of Great Sand Dunes.
As the places to stay near Great Sand Dunes are so convenient for exploring the park, they tend to book up in advance. So make sure that you reserve as early as possible if you want Great Sand Dunes accommodation by the park border.
But when staying so close to the wilderness, you can’t expect the comforts of a bigger town. Great Sand Dunes National Park hotels in the nearest full-service town Alamosa offer more amenities than the border lodging.
In short, the Great Sand Dunes places to stay adjacent to the park offer the best access to the dune experience. No other options for where to stay when visiting Great Sand Dunes are as convenient when it comes to getting to the park. But further from the park you find a richer selection of Great Sand Dunes hotels.
- Distance: 4-8 mi / 6-13 km
- Driving time: ≈ 10-15 min
- Pick the park for: The places to stay closest to Great Sand Dunes.
Recommended park-adjacent Great Sand Dunes hotels
Great Sand Dunes Lodge
Great Sand Dunes Lodge is the best place to stay at Great Sand Dunes if you prefer to be as close to the adventure as possible. At Great Sand Dunes Lodge, you stay just south of the park entrance and only 4 miles (6 km) from Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center. When it comes to location, you can’t beat Great Sand Dunes Lodge — it’s the lodging closest to Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Zapata Ranch
At Zapata Ranch, you are welcome to live your best ranch life. The Colorado ranch is owned by the Nature Conservancy and offers a unique ranch package. At the ranch, you can ride horses among bison or help out with daily ranch duties. It’s a great option for where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park if you want something more than just the national park experience. And from Zapata Ranch, it’s just 8 miles (13 km) to Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center.
Alamosa
Alamosa is the bigger town with hotels near Great Sand Dunes National Park. From the town, known as the gateway to Great Sand Dunes, it’s 34 miles (55 km) to the visitor center in the park.
In around 40 minutes, you get from Great Sand Dunes hotels in Alamosa to the spectacular Colorado dunes. So it’s a rather easy drive from lodging in Alamosa to Great Sand Dunes.
Alamosa is not a large city, but it has all the Great Sand Dunes National Park hotels and restaurants that you need for a comfortable time in the Colorado desert. Many of the big hotel chains provide hotels near Great Sand Dunes in Alamosa.
The town is also home to Adams State University, which brings some life to the area. But most of all it’s the great nature in Great Sand Dunes that visitors come for.
In short, Alamosa is the best option for where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park if you prefer to stay in a town. Great Sand Dunes is located in a remote area, but Alamosa offers all the Great Sand Dunes lodging and comfort that you need.
- Distance: 34 mi / 55 km
- Driving time: ≈ 40 min
- Pick Alamosa for: Great Sand Dunes hotels in the bigger town.
Favorite location. Alamosa is the option for where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park that offers the whole package. In the town, you not only find convenient Great Sand Dunes hotels but also diners and other establishments.
Recommended hotels in Alamosa
Fairfield Inn
At Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Alamosa, you get the whole package. It’s a modern property that offers great comfort when visiting the Great Sand Dunes area. The appreciated facilities at the Great Sand Dunes hotel include swimming pool and hot tub.
Hampton Inn
Alamosa’s Hampton Inn is another modern Great Sand Dunes hotel that has all you need for a comfy time in southern Colorado. For quality time off Great Sand Dunes National Park, the hotel also offers a swimming pool and hot tub for its guests to take advantage of.
Where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado.
The Great Sand Dunes places to stay at the park border offer the very best access to the park. But if you prefer to stay in a town with Great Sand Dunes hotels and restaurants, you need to look towards Alamosa.
Mosca is the town closest to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The tiny town is located 23 miles (37 km) west of Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center.
There are no hotels in Great Sand Dunes National Park. But you find Great Sand Dunes lodging right at the south border of the park and in the bigger town Alamosa.
It’s 239 miles (385 km) from Denver to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Driving from Denver to Great Sand Dunes takes just under 4 hours.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is home to the tallest dunes in North America. The dunes in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park cover a larger area but are not nearly as tall. Which is better between the two spectacular American parks depends on your personal preferences.
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