My next stop was a 2 night stay at Great Sand Dunes National Park. We stayed in the campground right next to the Dunes which worked out great. You could hike out right from there to the Dunes, and it is dog friendly as long as you don't go out too far.
The hiking here was really unique and totally different from anything else on my trip. You just wander out into the sand and start climbing up in any direction. The best bet is to go early before it gets too hot, and to stick to the ridge at the top of the dunes as much as you can. Abby and I hiked 4.5mi out and back, with about 1,000 feet of elevation. We made it up to the High Dune (which isn't actually the tallest sand dune there, but it is the tallest close one) and the view from there is incredible. I also loved the contrast of the sand dunes up against the mountains that run right alongside the park.
I really enjoyed my short stay at Great Sand Dunes, it was a really unique experience and I had a lot of fun hiking across the dunes with Abby.
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