People of all ages love playing in the sand, and the United States is dotted with natural sand boxes from the seashore to the mountains. These areas offer a variety of activities, from climbing to sliding, camping, exploring, stargazing, and even camel treks.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado
Prevailing winds carried sand from an ancient riverbed and piled it against the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado, creating the highest dunes in North America. Those who climb to the top of the 700 foot dunes are rewarded with fabulous views of the dune field, chilly Medano Creek below, and the mountains. Other popular activities are sliding, boarding (similar to snow boarding), and even skiing down the dunes. This national park includes a campground and ranger activities on a regular basis.
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
Aptly named, this 275-square-mile sugar bowl contains the world's largest gypsum dune field, a sharp contrast to the surrounding Chihuahuan desert. Start with exhibits at the visitor's center museum, which has information on ranger-led programs, including stargazing and full-moon nights - truly a sight to see. The center also has trail guides for a self-guided nature tour of the Big Dune Trail. This park also has picnic areas and plenty of space for climbing, digging, and just exploring. Accommodations available in nearby Alamagordo, NM.
Monahans Sandhills State Park, Texas
Exhibits at the Dunagan Visitor Center chronicle the history and geology of the dunes, which have attracted human inhabitants for 12,000 years. The park has picnic areas, and hiking trails explore the dunes and a field of the world's smallest oak trees. The park headquarters rents sand disks for hours of fun sliding down the dunes, which can reach 70 feet high. Overnight camel treks and an equestrian day use area are also available.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
This scenic swath of dunes abuts the shore of Lake Michigan. The Visitor Center, located in Empire, Michigan, provides information on the park and ranger-led programs. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive winds seven miles through the dunes and views of Lake Michigan, Glen Lake, and the Manitou Islands, with observation points and picnic areas along the way. For the best place to climb, head north on M-22 from Empire and take M-109 to the aptly named Dune Climb. The Climb includes a picnic area, restrooms, vending machines, and a bookstore. Many climbers run or roll back down the dunes.
Jockey's Ridge State Park, North Carolina
This field of sand contains the highest dune on the Atlantic coast, and visitors enjoy sandboarding, kiteboarding, and hang gliding. Other popular activities are picniking and hiking through the dunes and on the Southside Nature Trail, which explores grassy dunes, a wetland, and a maritime thicket. The park's exhibit hall includes displays on the area's nature, culture and history, including what the dunes are made of and how they formed.
Those planning a visit to sand dune fields may want to invest in their own sliding disks, which are available at many recreation stores. Closed toed shoes are a must in summer, when the sand is very hot. It can be easy to get lost in a field of sand dunes, so explorers should stick to marked trails or populated areas unless equipped with a GPS or other navigation device.
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