Inventory and Monitoring at Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument (designated in 1932) became Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve on September 13, 2004. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve protects the largest dunes in North America, as well as the hydrological system and landscape that maintain them. Seven insect species are endemic to the dunes. Park lands include spring-fed Big Spring and Little Spring creeks, as well as sandsheet wetlands and abundant archeological artifacts and sites. Preserve lands extend to the top of the Sangre de Cristo Range, and feature alpine lakes and tundra, giving Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve rich biodiversity. The dunes and most of the preserve lands are designated as wilderness.
