This short National Park Service video reveals Medano Creek's attraction for people of all ages, and explains mysterious 'surge flow'!
Medano Creek at typical peak flow in late May, with a surge flow wave. See current and forecast conditions below.
NPS/Patrick Myers
Medano Creek's bed is dry at the main Dunes Parking Area.
NPS
Current Conditions
as of April 24, 2025
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Medano Creek's bed is dry at the Dunes Parking Lot. The creek is flowing gently along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near Sand Pit Picnic Area and Castle Creek Picnic Area. It sinks into the sand here due to limited flow, and may partially freeze at night. This area is about 1.5 miles (3.2 km) up the dry creek bed from the Dunes Parking Lot. The creek is accessible by high-clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road.
Check up-to-the-minute flow (available spring through fall). This is shown as a flow graph of Medano Creek in cubic feet per second (cfs), measured where it first reaches the sand 5 miles upstream from the Dunes Parking Area. This is not the flow to expect in the main visitor area, but it gives a relative indication of flow and whether it is increasing or decreasing. Peak flow in an average year occurs in late May or early June at 40 cfs. Flow is not expected to reach even 20 cfs this year.
The depth and duration of Medano Creek's flow are a direct result of the amount of snowpack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It has been a very dry winter, with snowpack about a third of average. Medano Creek is forecast to be about a third of average in depth and duration this year.
Medano Creek Conditions to Expect Each Month for the 2025 Season
See also 'Medano Creek Conditions to Expect Each Month in an Average Year' below.
With snowpack about 1/3 of average this year, here are forecast conditions for each month of the 2025 season.
April
Medano Creek will arrive at the Dunes Parking Area in late April as a very small flow of water.
May
Flow will increase through May. If May is dry and warm, flow may peak earlier than average, in mid-May. If May is average or wet, the creek will likely peak around late May. Surge flow waves may be present but will be too small to float.
While it is still springtime and winds may arise, especially in the afternoon, May temperatures are generally moderate, with highs in the 60s-70s F. However, snow is still possible at this elevation in May!
Trees and bushes along the creek leaf out. There are some "no-see-ums" (tiny biting gnats), but mosquitoes are rarely out in May.
Water comes out of the mountains cold, but warms up significantly when the sun shines on it for a few hours as it spreads across the sand.
Even with significantly less water, late May and early June weekends will be crowded, with lines of traffic, overflowing parking lots, a crowded beach, and full campgrounds. If possible, plan your visit on a weekday this time of year.
June
Flow will slowly decrease from the May peak, and the creek may dry up by mid-June. Surge flow waves may still be present but will be too small to float.
Even with significantly less water, late May and early June weekends will be crowded, with lines of traffic, overflowing parking lots, a crowded beach, and full campgrounds. If possible, plan your visit on a weekday this time of year.
As the creek becomes even lower and slower around the second week of June, mosquitoes typically emerge. Mosquito season usually lasts 4-6 weeks when Medano Creek is low, but this year there may be few mosquitoes due to more rapid drying of the creek after peak flow.
July - September
The creek will be completely gone from the main Dunes Parking Area. It usually continues to gently flow at 1/2" - 1" (1-2 cm) deep along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near Castle Creek Picnic Area. Castle Creek is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Visitors without 4WD may also access the creek in late summer by hiking approximately 3 miles (5 km) up the creekbed from the Dunes Parking Lot, or approximately 0.7 miles (1km) from the Point of No Return parking area.
July is the warmest month at the park, with average highs in the low 80s F.
Medano Creek Conditions to Expect Each Month in an Average Year
Below are typical creek conditions for each month of an average season. Less or more snowpack will affect the depth and duration of the creek.
April
While April is the second snowiest month of the year on average, there can also be warmer, sunny days that begin to melt the snowpack.
Medano Creek usually arrives at the Dunes Parking Area sometime in April, at first just a trickle. By the end of April, it may be a few inches/cm deep with minimal surge flow.
May
Flow increases through May, and late May is near the peak of Medano Creek's annual flow.
While it is still springtime and winds may arise, especially in the afternoon, May temperatures are generally moderate, with highs in the 60s-70s F. However, snow is still possible at this elevation in May!
Trees and bushes along the creek leaf out. There are some "no-see-ums" (tiny biting gnats), but mosquitoes are rarely out in May.
Water comes out of the mountains cold, but warms up significantly when the sun shines on it for a few hours as it spreads across the sand.
Late May and early June weekends can be crowded with overflowing parking lots, a crowded beach, and some delays at the entrance station. If possible, plan your visit on a weekday this time of year.
June
There are warmer water temperatures for water play and generally pleasant temperatures in June.
Late May and early June are the best opportunity to experience "surge flow", where waves flow down across the sand. In average or wetter years, surge flow waves are high enough for children to float down limited distances on flat inflatable toys.
Because of the creek's popularity, late May and early June weekends are extremely crowded, with long lines of traffic, overflowing parking lots, a crowded beach, and full campgrounds. If possible, plan your visit on a weekday this time of year.
As the creek becomes much lower and slower around the second week of June, mosquitoes will emerge in large numbers. Move away from vegetation, to the far side of the creek to avoid the worst of the mosquitoes: they don't like open sand, but prefer to be near shady bushes and trees.
By late June, the water level will be fairly low, only 1 or 2 inches (1-5cm) or may even be drying up.
July
Unless there are significant ongoing rains, the creek will be retreating back toward the mountains and will be dried up at the main visitor area near the Dunes Parking Lot.
It usually continues to gently flow at 1/2" - 1" (1-2 cm) deep along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near Castle Creek Picnic Area. Castle Creek is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Visitors without 4WD may also access the creek in late summer by hiking approximately 3 miles (5 km) up the creekbed from the Dunes Parking Lot, or approximately 0.7 miles (1km) from the Point of No Return parking area.
Mosquitoes are typically still present in large numbers after breeding in the low remaining water, but begin to disappear by mid-to-late July.
July is the warmest month at the park, with average highs in the low 80s F.
August and September
The creek usually continues to gently flow at 1/2" - 1" (1-2 cm) deep along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near Castle Creek Picnic Area. Castle Creek is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Visitors without 4WD may also access the creek in late summer by hiking approximately 3 miles (5 km) up the creekbed from the Dunes Parking Lot, or approximately 0.7 miles (1km) from the Point of No Return parking area.
Mosquitoes are gone in late summer and fall.
Two children sit in a wave of Medano Creek at peak flow
In wet years, waves can be large enough at peak flow for floating.
NPS/Patrick Myers
How do you pronounce 'Medano'?
Médano is a Spanish word that means "sand dune". It is pronounced "MED-ah-no". In the original Spanish there is an accent on the é.
A skimboarder glides along Medano Creek, June 2024
NPS/Patrick Myers
Medano Creek Activities
Depending on water level, visitors may do any non-motorized and non-mechanized activities in the creek, including splashing, wading, skimboarding, floating (works only in small inflatable device with a child at peak runoff), sand castle building, and sand sculpting.
To protect this riparian habitat, please do not disturb living plants or animals, and keep water resources clean.
Last updated: April 23, 2025
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
Visitor Center
11999 State Highway 150
Mosca,
CO
81146
Phone:
(719) 378-6395
General Park and Preserve information: (719) 378-6395
Emergencies (Police, Fire, Medical): Dial 911.
Non-emergencies (Police, Fire, Medical): call (719) 589-5807
