Campgrounds in Great Sand Dunes
Great Sand Dunes National Park has 3 campgrounds on the National Park Service record, 139 sites in total. 2 take reservations, 1 have first-come sites. Hours, fees, amenities and access for each — plus the scenic drives that reach them.
3 mapped · Park boundary: National Park Service
Backpacking Campsites in the Dunes or Forest27 sitesReservationsThe most popular and unique backpacking option is camping in the 30-square-mile dunefield, beyond the major dune ridgeline (about 1.5 mile hike minimum over dunes). Enjoy wide open views of the starry sky or a bright moonlit night. Designated sites are also available in the trees of the foothills, or camping is available in higher forests of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. Reserve national park backpacking permits for the dunes or foothills through recreation.gov
Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites21 sitesFirst-come, first-servedRoadside camping is permitted at 21 campsites in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve beginning 5.2 miles from where the road begins near Piñon Flats Campground. These designated sites are free of charge and first-come, first-served. All 21 sites fill on summer weekends. Passable only in the warmer months and only with high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. This road crosses areas of deep sand, traverses Medano Creek nine times, and passes through excellent habitat for bighorn sheep.
Piñon Flats Campground91 sitesReservationsPiñon Flats is a National Park Service campground located one mile north of the Visitor Center, open April through October. All sites are by reservation on recreation.gov. Beginning in the 2026 season, Individual and group sites can be reserved up to 3 months in advance.
Source: National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04