Relax in Medano Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

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One of the most unusual features of Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado happens at Medano Creek, which borders the east side of the dunes and is located next to the Visitor Center and Bookstore. Popular activities at Medano include swimming, sand sculpting, skimboarding and strolling along the world-famous dunes. Because fresh sand continually falls in the creek, Medano Creek never finds a permanent and stable streambed. Small underwater sand dunes that act like dams continually form and break down, and so waders in the stream see surges—which look like waves—of water flowing downstream at intervals of anywhere from just a few seconds to a minute or more. In a high-water year, these surges can be as much as a foot in height, resembling ocean waves. Medano Creek flows in average to wet years. The best time to visit in late spring or early summer. Keep in mind that May and June weekends are the busiest of the year at the park. Throughout the season, creek flow is usually highest in the morning, and lowest in the evening. Building sand castles with the creek sand is a popular visitor activity, and Skimboarding is a great activity for young people to do because only an inch or two of creek depth is needed. Seasonal Medano Creek Information, Forecast Flow, and Current Conditions.

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