Photographs

Creeks and Lakes

• Medano Creek - During May and June, Medano Creek's flow peaks. Water flows around the east and south sides of the dunefield and empties into the grasses and rabbitbrush.
• Medano Creek dry - During most of the year, the lower reaches of Medano Creek and Sand Creek are dry. Medano Creek is shown just west of the Great Sand Dunes picnic area.
• Sand Creek in flow - Narrow-leaf cottonwoods line the banks of Sand Creek. If it were not for Sand Creek's summer flow, these forests of cottonwood would not exist. Wildlife depends on these river-tracing forests for shelter and—in the case of porcupines and others—food.
• Mosca Creek - Mosca Creek is one of a number of mountain streams that flow from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. During parts of the year, when spring run-off is high, this creek is an important tributary of Medano Creek.
• Interdunal pond - A great variety of plants and animals can be found in these isolated oases: cattails, rushes, insect larvae, salamanders, elk, waterfowl, and even the occasional porcupine use these wetlands for much needed water.
• Upper Sand Creek Lake - Snowmelt-fed subalpine and alpine lakes are found in many of the high mountain valleys.

Wildlife

• Sandhill cranes - Sandhill cranes and other birds use wetlands as stopover sites during their spring and fall migrations.
• Dollar Lake - Birds and other wildlife depend on Dollar Lake and other year-round wetlands for water, food, and protection.
• Rocky Mountain elk - Because of the arid climate and isolated water sources, Great Sand Dunes' ponds and creeks are critical for the survival of wildlife. The Rocky Mountain elk shown here are cooling off from the summer heat in Sand Creek.
• Rio Grande cutthroat trout - The Rio Grande cutthroat trout has been reintroduced into Sand Creek and Medano Creek.

Recreational Uses

• Castle-building in Medano Creek - Visitors come from all over the world to witness the dunefield as well as the pulsating flow along Medano Creek. Many come to simply play in the creek during peak flow.
• Backcountry camping - Backcountry visitors camp below Music Pass.
• 4WD auto-touring - A 4WD road leads into the mountains along Medano Creek. Since the road crosses Medano Creek multiple times, contaminations are possible.

Commercial Relevance

• Agriculture - In much of the valley, crops are raised with water that comes from the aquifer.
• Abandoned stamp mill - During the mining boom of the 1800s and early 1900s, stamp mills were constructed to help process rock and ore. In the Sand Creek drainage, the remains of a stamp mill can be found.

Other

• Water research - Researchers are pictured installing a well to help them measure changes in aquifer levels.