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22 images Created 4 Jun 2019

Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is located in the San Louis Valley in southern Colorado. It is on the east side of the valley nestled against the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The elevation of the sand dunes is about 7500 feet and the backdrop include peaks that tower over 14,000 ft. The sand is piled up by prevailing southwesterly winds. The combination of a rich sand source, strong winds, and tall mountains blocking the movement of sand result in the tallest sand dunes in North America. Although sand dunes are the main attraction of Great Sand Dunes National Park, there is a rich variety of wildlife and birds that make their homes here. I hope these photos capture some of the wonder of this unique place. To see the text for each photo, view in full size. To remove the text from the image click the chevron at the bottom of the page.
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  • Dunes in Great Sand Dune National Park with the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the background.  The right most peak is the Crestone Needle (14,203 feet high).  To its left is Crestone Peak (14,300 feet high).  The farthest peak to the left is Kit Carson Peak (14,171 feet high).  The sand dunes are at an elevation of about 7500 feet, and the tallest rise over 700 feet above the valley floor, making them the tallest in North America.
    Great San Dunes NP and Sangre de Cis...jpg
  • Sand dunes in the Great Sand Dune National Park on a windy day.   Blowing sand smooths the  areas exposed to the wind.    Areas sheltered from the wind have ripples in the sand.
    Great Sand Dunes NP 1.jpg
  • Wind driven sand going over the lip of the sand dune gives the surface a smooth feel.  The textured area at the bottom of the photo is out of the wind.  Although large quantities of sand are on the move, the dunes have kept essentially the same shape since the earliest known photos that were taken in the 1870s.
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  • The wind currents over the dunes keep pockets stable enough to support plant growth.  This photo was taken in March.  The uneven areas above the plants are snow covered with sand.  The snow will melt providing moisture for the plants.
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  • A lenticular cloud covers a peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountains that form the backdrop of the dune field. Look for the people in the photo. They give some idea of the enormous size of the dunes.
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  • Sand blowing over the lip of the sand dune in the center of the image hides the ridgeline and gives the dune a soft texture.
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  • The textures, shadows and lines in this photo provide clues as to the dynamics when the photo was taken.  Can you tell which part of the dune is in the wind and what part is leeward?
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  • Most of the sand that travels from the west to the east gets captured by Medano Creek that runs near the east and south edge of the dunes. During spring and early summer, water coming from the nearby mountains carries the sand around the southwest side of the dunes. When the creek dries up in late summer, the prevailing southwesterly winds carry the sand to the dunes for another trip across the dune field.
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  • There are few plants that can tolerate the harsh conditions of the sand dunes.  The blowing sand makes it extremely difficult to get started.  But once roots take hold they tap the moisture that is a few inches below the surface.
    DSC_0713.jpg
  • Some sand is blown over Medano Creek allowing sand dunes to advance to the east.  Like a lava flow, but slower, eventually the encroaching sand dunes bury everything in its path.  This tree is destined to be killed by the advancing sand.
    DSC_0766.jpg
  • As the dunes advanced, they buried the forest leaving the tops of dead trees protruding out of the surface of the sand.  In time the blowing sand will sculpt them and eventually they will be reduced to sawdust. A hike around this area reveals trees in all stages of being destroyed by the blowing sand.
    DSC_1236.jpg
  • Parts of dead trees buried by moving sand stick up above the surface of the dunes.  Then the wind starts its work sculpting the dead wood.  The soft parts of the wood are removed first as they are sand blasted, leaving some beautiful shapes and colors in the wood.
    DSC_0724.jpg
  • This tree trunk has been sand blasted for some time.  It is a fine example of nature making art.
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  • Observing what is left after a tree is exposed to blowing sand for a number of years reveals which parts of  tree contain the hardest wood.  In a violent environment, some rather delicate structures are created.
    DSC_1246.jpg
  • The tight grain of this tree trunk has been polished by blowing sand.
    DSC_0751.jpg
  • I think this tree was aware of what the sand was doing to the other trees and was trying to run away.  I must admit that when I took this photo, I was looking around for other strange creatures that might be nearby.
    DSC_0782.jpg
  • The dunes are fun to hike, although sometimes one feels as if it takes two steps up to gain one step in elevation.  Finding the most efficient route to the top is part of the fun.
    DSC_1065.jpg
  • As the angle of the light changes the shadows of the dunes change.  Notice the hikers on the dunes.  They help give perspective to the size of the dunes.
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  • A herd of pronghorn grazing on the grasses in front of the dune field.  Pronghorn are common in the park and are easily observed from a car.  The Great Sand Dunes National Park is surprisingly rich with wildlife.
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  • This buck mule deer was among a herd that was in the trees along the side of one of the park roads.  The deer were not skittish but did not approach people.
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  • With ears cocked forward and an intense stare, this doe mule deer is checking out a potential danger.  It is clear that the big ears were the reason for the name mule deer.
    DSC_1212.jpg
  • In some areas, the blowing sand has covered the vegetation.  Sometimes new plants take hold in the sand and stabilize the dune.  Over time a new forest can grow.  Perhaps sometime in the future, conditions will change, and this forest will be engulfed by moving sand.  Everything in the park is part of a dynamic ecosystem.
    DSC_1282.jpg