National Park Service · Colorado
Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
National Park Service · Colorado, United States · in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- Sites
- 21
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- No
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Elevation
- 8,609 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- Nearest town
- Crestone
- Phone
- (719) 378-6395
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Roadside 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.
Fees
Free Camping in Sites along Medano Pass Road. Campsites are free and first-come, first-served on the Medano Pass Road.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 11° | -13° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 36° | 12° | -12° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 24° | 0° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 56° | 30° | 13° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 65° | 40° | 26° | 78° | 5 of 11 |
| June | 77° | 51° | 38° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 82° | 55° | 49° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 54° | 46° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 73° | 48° | 24° | 83° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 61° | 36° | 17° | 73° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 48° | 28° | -7° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 36° | 15° | -2° | 47° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Sand Ramp Trailhead · 0.3 mi as the crow flies
Sand Ramp Trail 11 mi Hike · Drive there - Sand Pit Trailhead · 3.1 mi as the crow flies
Sand Ramp Trail 11 mi Hike, Sand Pit Trail 0.5 mi Hike · Drive there - Sawmill Canyon Access Trailhead · 3.3 mi as the crow flies
Trail to Sawmill Canyon Accessible Campsite 0.2 mi Hike · Drive there - Sand Ramp Trailhead · 3.9 mi as the crow flies
Sand Ramp Trail 11 mi Hike · Drive there - Dunes Access Trailhead · 4.0 mi as the crow flies
Dunes Access from Campground Trail 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there
All 24 trails in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Pinon Flats Campground · National Park Service · 4 mi · 90 sites
- Duncan Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Zapata Falls Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 13 mi · 45 sites
- North Crestone Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 18 mi
- Alvarado Campground · USDA Forest Service · 19 mi · 51 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.