Just getting to Great Sand Dunes National Park takes a bit of effort. So, when you get here and start exploring, it’s good to also go camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park so you can really extend your stay here! You don’t need many days to see most of the park. In fact, usually one or two full days is enough. But driving in and out of the park takes quite a long time, so spending a day here really allows you to unwind. Plus, the sunsets are amazing!
While camping inside the park is our preferred spot, there are also other places to camp outside of Great Sand Dunes National Park which we’ll review as well!
We hope this guide helps you figure out the best camp location for you this summer!
Before you head out on your trip, be sure to download a copy of our itinerary for Great Sand Dunes National Park! We cover all you need to know about visiting the park and include maps, hikes and more!
GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK CAMPING: OVERVIEW
There is only one front-country campground in Great Sand Dunes National Park, and it’s called the Piñon Flats Campground. There are 88 sites, so the campground is fairly large. It’s in an amazing spot, and you can see the sand dunes from virtually everywhere in the campground (though some sites have absolutely jaw dropping views).
The sites do fill up amazingly fast. So just be sure to get reservations as soon as they open, or keep a close eye out for cancellations. Reservations open up 6 months in advance.
The Piñon Flats Campground is the only available from April through October.
It’s important to know that as Medano Creek gets low, mosquitoes tend to emerge in mid-June and last through July. If you are camping during these months, we recommend mosquito repellant and/or Thermacells. We visited in July and were glad to have our Gazelle 6-Sided Screen Gazebo to escape from the bugs in the evening. Even though our campsite was far from Medano Creek, the mosquitoes were awful after sunset!
If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can also consider primitive camping in Great Sand Dunes National Park. We’ll cover a bit of information about that as well!
GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK CAMPING SUPPLIES
Here, you need to be sure you have most everything you need ahead of your visit. There is really nothing around unless you do a bit of driving other than a small campground store located in the park between loops 1 and2. Outside the park, you can also go to the Oasis Store, which has very limited supplies.
The closest place to have a reasonable selection of groceries (at a good price) is in Alamosa, CO. Here you can get groceries as well as scamping supplies at one of their big box stores.
GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL MONUMENT CAMPGROUND: DETAILS AND CAMPGROUND MAP
Piñon Flats Campground
Map of Pinon Flats Campground in Great Sand Dunes National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service
- Location: The Piñon Flats Campground is located one mile north of the visitor center.
- Accessible via: Car.
- Reservations: The campground is open April through October, by reservation only. Visit recreation.gov to make your reservation. Individual sites can be booked up to 6 months in advance and group sites can be booked up to a year in advance. Campsites book up quickly for weekends and the summer season.
- Capacity: 88 sites within three loops. There are campsites to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs (up to 25 feet) but some sites are small. Be sure to check driveway width and length when making your reservation.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets and water (including a dishwashing station) but no showers.
- Additional details: Fire grate, picnic table and bear locker (for storage of food and scented items) on every site. Hammocks are prohibited due to the damage ropes can cause to trees.
- Nearby: Right near the Pinon Flats Campground is the Dunes Overlook Trail. This is a relatively easy trail that is 2.7-miles long (round-trip) with a bit of an incline to a hilltop overlook with stunning views! We cover all there is to do in the park in our blog on Things to Do in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK GROUP CAMPING
Group Camping at Great Sand Dunes National Park is fantastic. There are three sites, and they can hold between 15 and 40 people, depending on the site. Here you will find multiple tables and campfire pits. They are located in their own dedicated loop on the east side of the campground.
PRIMITIVE CAMPING IN GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK
In addition to camping at the Piñon Flats Campground, if you have a 4WD high clearance vehicle, you can also camp in one of the primitive camp sites along the Medano Road. All the sites are on a first-come, first-served basis. If you head up on this road, be sure to check the road conditions ahead of your trek in. You also need to be able to self-recover if you get stuck, and be sure you have all of your gear and camping items with you before you head in on the road.
CAMPING NEAR GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK
There are quite a few places to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park if you are willing to travel a bit. But there are a couple of campgrounds that are located quite close to the park that are worth checking out as well! Here are two that we recommend:
Mosca Campground
- Location: The Mosca Campground is located just outside of Great Sand Dunes National Park, about 12 miles to the west.
- Accessible via: Car.
- Reservations: All sites are first-come, first-served.
- Capacity: 51 sites.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / No / Yes.
- Toilets / Showers: Vault toilets and no showers.
- Additional details: The Mosca Campground isn’t fancy, but it has good views of the dunes, is relatively close to the park and the spaces are wide open! Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring, and firewood is available at the campground. This is a great option if you need electricity or if the Pinon Flats Campground is not available.
Zapata Falls Campground
- Location: The Zapata Falls Campground is located 9 miles to the south of Great Sand Dunes National Park just off Highway 150.
- Accessible via: Car.
- Reservations: Offered May through October. Zapata Falls Reservations.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers: Vault toilets and no showers.
- Additional details: The Zapata Falls Campground is no-frills, but it’s close to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The road up to the campground is a bit curvy, so just be sure your vehicle is in good operating condition ahead of making the effort to go up! The Zapata Falls Campground also has group camping that is reservable.
- Nearby: The Zapata Falls Trail is right near the campground. It’s pretty popular, so staying at the campground allows you to get on the trail early before the crowds arrive! The trail is only about 0.5-miles (round-trip) and leads to a 30 foot cascading waterfall.
You can also consider camping around the town of Alamosa, CO, which has a couple of campgrounds as well.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- Be sure to check out our other blogs on Great Sand Dunes, including Things to Do in Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Best Hikes in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
- Don’t forget to send us a photo after your trip. We’ll turn it into an amazing custom, vintage travel poster!
