The 6 Best Towns Near Great Sand Dunes National Park

If you are looking for the best towns near Great Sand Dunes National Park to stay in when you visit, you are in the right place. Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the most unique national parks in Colorado, with a landscape that is not found anywhere else in the state.

It has the tallest sand dunes in North America and is surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains, making it a stunning sight. Although the park does not have many activities, you can spend your days hiking and sandboarding or sand sledding.

I recommend spending about 1-2 days in Great Sand Dunes National Park. You could spend longer, but the activities are limited, and you can see everything in 1-2 days. When you spend a night near the park, a few nearby towns make perfect base camps for your adventures.

This guide has everything you need to know about the best towns near Great Sand Dunes National Park to stay in during your trip!

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The Best Towns Near Great Sand Dunes National Park

Mosca

Mosca is the closest town to Great Sand Dunes National Park but is also one of the smallest. The town does not have much and is more of a residential area. But there are a handful of accommodations outside the park entrance that make perfect places to stay!

These are the closest accommodations to Great Sand Dunes National Park, so they book up quickly. They also tend to be more expensive because of their proximity to the park, but the location makes it worth it.

Although Mosca does not have much in the town, you can always visit Alamosa to get anything you need during your trip. Alamosa is just south of Mosca and has restaurants, grocery stores, and shops to rent sandboards and sand sleds.

If you want to stay in the accommodations closest to the park, Mosca is the best town near Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Best Places to Stay in Mosca:

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Alamosa

Alamosa is the best place to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park because it is only about a 40-minute drive to the entrance and has everything you need for your trip. It is the largest town near Great Sand Dunes National Park and has many restaurants, grocery stores, and accommodations. It is also the closest town to the park with sandboard or sand sled rentals.

We stayed one night in Alamosa during our trip, and it was great! Since this is the second closest town to Great Sand Dunes National Park, these accommodations book up pretty quickly, especially in the summer. I recommend booking your accommodations as soon as you can!

Best Places to Stay in Alamosa:

Crestone

Crestone is one of the most scenic towns near Great Sand Dunes National Park because it sits at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range just north of the national park. Although you have to drive about an hour to get to the park entrance, the drive is incredibly scenic and goes by quickly.

Crestone has a few accommodations, restaurants, and a grocery store, allowing you to get anything you need for your visit. It is the perfect town to stay in if you want a quiet and scenic area. Crestone is also home to many other beautiful trails if you want to explore outside the national park. It is a great alternative to the nearby towns near Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Best Places to Stay in Crestone:

Monte Vista

Monte Vista is just west of Alamosa and is another great town near Great Sand Dunes National Park. Although the town is small, it has everything you need for your trip, including accommodations, restaurants, and grocery stores.

And Monte Vista is only a 45-minute drive to the national park entrance. As you drive to and from Great Sand Dunes National Park, you pass through Alamosa, so you can get anything else you may need that Monte Vista does not have. It is a great town to stay in if Alamosa does not have any available accommodations

Best Places to Stay in Monte Vista:

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Fort Garland

Fort Garland is a small town south of Great Sand Dunes National Park at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Although it is tiny, it has a few accommodations, restaurants, and a small grocery store for your trip.

Fort Garland is a quick 30-minute drive to the park entrance, and the drive is beautiful as you pass the nearby mountains. It is a great place if you want to stay in a quiet town or are traveling from Denver and do not want to drive the extra half hour to the other nearby towns, like Alamosa.

Although Fort Garland is one of the smallest towns on this list, it still is a great place to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Best Places to Stay in Fort Garland:

Salida

Salida is the furthest town near Great Sand Dunes National Park on this list but a good place to stay if you plan to explore other northern areas after, like Breckenridge. It is about 1.5 hours north of the park entrance and 1.5 hours south of Breckenridge.

Although it is a small town, it has many accommodations, restaurants, and grocery stores. Salida is also near many beautiful trails if you want to explore more areas outside Great Sand Dunes National Park. If you do not mind a longer drive, Salida is a good town near Great Sand Dunes National Park to stay in.

Best Places to Stay in Salida:

If you are looking for the best places to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park, this guide is the perfect place to start planning. It has everything you need to know about the best towns near Great Sand Dunes National Park.