GREAT SAND DUNES
The highest sand dunes in North America, towering 750 feet above the valley floor and covering 30 square miles, are swallowed by the huge scale of the San Luis Valley and the 13,000 foot peaks of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Prevailing southwesterly winds pile the sand at the base of the three low passes in the mountains. Strong northeast winds occasionally blow through the mountain passes, reversing the usual direction of sand flow and piling the dunes back upon themselves creating an ocean of sand hills.
© Scenic Vista Photography
