Sailing In and Out of Weeks: Sahara in the Sangre de Christos

What do Alexander, the Space Coaster, and the Sand Dunes have in common? They're all Great! Not too many National Parks can boast that they are 'great' or 'grand', but the Dunes have certainly earned this moniker with their other-worldly existence beneath the Sangre de Christos. We had an excellent camping trip with a crew of 12 adults, 2 kids, and 6 dogs. We spent our nights and evenings at San Luis Lakes state park only a few miles away. Shade is limited in the San Luis valley, with only pinon pines and scrub brush in abundance, but the lake itself was a great spot for an evening paddle with great views of the Dunes and surrounding peaks. Everyone arrived by Friday night, and got up fairly early Saturday morning as the sun warmed the tents quickly. We found a spot slightly removed from the crowds on Medano creek in the park, with one crew climbing the sand and attempting to sled down, while the other tended to dogs, kids, and sand castles in the creek. Lucy was content to play in the mud and flowing water, following Dude around and flying a kite when the wind picked up enough. After deriding my kite-flying skills and the heat of the day bearing down on us, we all mobilized to Zapata Falls in the mountains south of the park. A short hike through the scrub led to a wooded creek which was nice and cool. To get a view of the 30 foot falls, we had to walk up the creek through a canyon, taking frequent breaks up on rocks to allow our feet to thaw. We beat the heat the rest of the day under the shelter and a tarp at the campground with beer, beef jerky, and cards. The day ended as all should, with chili dogs and marshmallows cooked over an open flame.