Medano Creek

Medano Creek at 2024 peak flow, June 8. See current and forecast conditions below.

 

Duration:

1 minute, 16 seconds

This short National Park Service video reveals the creek's attraction, and explains mysterious 'surge flow'! Length: 70 seconds

Also available to watch on YouTube:

 

Medano Creek June 15, 2024

NPS

Current and Forecast Conditions

as of June 15, 2024

Refresh this page for the latest information.

Current Conditions

• Average annual peak flow is 40 cubic feet per second (cfs), but this year Medano Creek peaked at 23 cfs. It is currently flowing at 12 cfs and declining. Follow up-to-the-minute flow on the flow graph linked below.
  
  
• The creek is shallow, flowing in braided channels with a total width of 20-40 feet (7-13 m), and about 1-3 inches (2-7 cm) deep. There are small surges 1 inch (2 cm) high in some channels.
  
  
• With low water, mosquitos have emerged. Go to the far side of the creek, away from vegetation to avoid the worst of them. While not as prevalent this year as wetter years, they are especially concentrated in shady, wet areas in daytime hours, then spread out in the evenings.
  
  

• Flow is typically highest at dawn, and lowest at dusk. Afternoon/evening thunderstorms may temporarily boost flow.
  

• Check park weather forecasts for environmental conditions at the creek.

Check Up-To-The-Minute Flow

See the current flow and trend of Medano Creek as a graph. (Available spring through fall). The creek's flow on this graph is measured where it emerges from the forest and first enters the dunefield, not where it spreads out across the sand 5 miles downstream. This measurement gives an indication of the current flow relative to average peak flow. Peak flow in an average year is 40 cubic feet per second (cfs), typically occurring in late May or early June, but 2024 peaked at 23 cfs.

Forecast Flow Each Month for the Remainder of the 2024 Season

See also overall conditions to expect at Great Sand Dunes each month of the year.

Remainder of June

• Flow will continue to decrease throughout June.
  
• Mosquitos emerge in the second week of June, as water becomes low. Move away from vegetation, to the far side of the creek to avoid the worst of the mosquitos: they don't like open sand, but prefer to be near shady bushes and trees.
  
• By late June, the water level will likely be low, only 1 or 2 inches (1-5cm).

July

• In July, unless there are significant ongoing rains, the creek will be retreating back toward the mountains and will dry up at the main visitor area near the Dunes Parking Lot. It may continue to gently flow at at 1-2 inches deep (2-5 cm) along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near the Castle Creek Picnic Area. Castle Creek is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Visitors without 4WD may also access the creek in late summer by hiking 1-3 miles (3-5 km) up the creekbed from the Dunes Parking Lot, or 0.7-1.5 miles (1-2.5 km) from the Point of No Return parking area.
  
• Mosquitos are typically still present in large numbers the first 2-3 weeks of July, but begin to disappear as the water retreats farther back toward the mountains.
  
• July is the warmest month at the park, with average highs in the low 80s F.

August and September

• In late summer and fall, the creek is still completely gone from the main visitor area near the Dunes Parking Lot. It may continue to gently flow at at 1-2 inches deep (2-5 cm) along the eastern edge of the dunefield, near the Castle Creek Picnic Area. Castle Creek is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Visitors without 4WD may also access the creek in late summer by hiking 1-3 miles (3-5 km) up the creekbed from the Dunes Parking Lot, or 0.7-1.5 miles (1-2.5 km) from the Point of No Return parking area.
  
• Mosquitos are typically gone in August and September.

 

Two children sit in a wave of Medano Creek at peak flow

NPS/Patrick Myers

Weather

Weather forecasts and information for Great Sand Dunes are available on the park's weather page. Also learn what Conditions to Expect Each Month at the park.

 

In wet years, waves can be large enough at peak flow for floating.

NPS/Patrick Myers

How do you pronounce 'Medano'?

Médano is a Spanish word that means "sand dune". It is pronounced "MED-ah-no". In the original Spanish there is an accent on the é.

 

A skimboarder glides along Medano Creek, June 2024

NPS/Patrick Myers

Medano Creek Activities

Depending on water level, visitors may do any non-motorized and non-mechanized activities in the creek, including splashing, wading, skimboarding, floating (works only in small inflatable device with a child at peak runoff), sand castle building, and sand sculpting.

To protect this riparian habitat, please do not disturb living plants or animals, and keep water resources clean.