The approach to the Great Sand Dunes National Park offers road trips thrills – the golden grasses, bristly baubles of green and distant snow-streaked mountains…

The dunes look like their own sable-colored mountain range…

Dogs must be leashed at all times so I had this great idea of throwing the ball and letting the extendable leash do its thing. I underestimated the force of Bodie’s take-off…

Though he did look back to check that I wasn’t face-down in the sand.

And then he decided to go face-down in the sand himself…

At one point Bodie became one with the Sangre de Cristo mountain range…

IN CONCLUSION: The dog-friendly Great Sand Dunes offer 30-square miles of awe-inducing adventure for you and your pup! It feels so good to contemplate the vast expanse of tawny landscape and breathe in the blue of the sky. Bodie spent many a moment head raised, sniffing the breeze! Just remember to carry plenty of water – dune-trekking is thirsty work!

PET CARE AT THE DOG-FRIENDLY GREAT SAND DUNES

The National Park Service have created a special downloadable PETS PDF offering a map of the dog-friendly areas of the park and useful safety info such as:

During summer days, plan to keep your pet on the moist, cool sand near Medano Creek. Visit early morning or evening to avoid 150 degree sand.

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE: https://www.nps.gov/grsa

VISITOR CENTER ADDRESS: 11999 State Highway 150, Mosca, CO 81146

VISITOR CENTER PHONE: (719) 378-6395

VISITOR CENTER HOURS: Summer: 8:30-6.00 Summer. Fall to Spring: 9:00-4:30.