Scheduled Interpretive Programs

Your visit can be more enjoyable when you better understand the environment around you. Ranger programs are offered most days from May through September, and on a limited basis in October and April. You may request a special program for a group by calling the Visitor Center at 719-378-6399, or send an email. 

K-12 Education Programs are available throughout the year, by reservation only. Hands-on discovery in the dunes, forest, or wetlands are available seasonally, and classroom visits are available in winter months.

Junior Ranger Day Each summer the park hosts a special day with numerous activities for kids, including learning about nature, primitive skills, sand sculpturing, crafts and more. June 9 is Junior Ranger Day in 2012. Plan to arrive early, as parking and camping fill quickly that weekend!

Stargazing in September

During your visit to Great Sand Dunes, be sure to enjoy truly stellar views of the night sky. To celebrate this resource, Great Sand Dunes has set aside the month of September to remind all visitors to lift our gazes and explore the night.

• September 15, 2012 Celestial Festival
  The main event of the stargazing season is a celebration of night skies, from sand to stars to supernovae!
  
  
• September 22, 2012 Autumn Equinox 
  Celebrate the celestial rhythm of the Autumnal Equinox by examining the links between Great Sand Dunes and our red planet neighbor, Mars.
  
  
• September 29, 2012 Full Moon Hike
  Round out the stargazing season with a Full Moon Hike, complete with craters and cosmic connections between dunes and our lunar companion.

The Nature Conservancy partners with the National Park Service to protect the entire dunes system and its biodiversity. Bison Tours are offered by Zapata Partners, who manage the herd of over 1000 bison on Nature Conservancy lands within national park boundaries. These are led as a hayride (warmer months only) or 4WD vehicle tour. 4WD vehicle tours are offered anytime as staffing permits, and as long as there is a minimum of 4 people. Hayrides are offered by reservation for larger groups. Please call ahead to confirm times and prices. The Zapata Ranch also offers ranch experience stays and lodging in their historic ranch rooms. Please call 1-888-5-ZAPATA (927282) ext. 110, or click the Bison Tours link above.

Colorado Field Institute is a Colorado non-profit organization whose purpose is "To expand stewardship of the natural and cultural resources of the San Luis Valley while increasing sustainable economic development in the region." CFI-sponsored programs are primarily in-depth, outdoor activities developed to complement the programs of cultural and natural resource management agencies, including Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Please click on the link above for information on CFI's current schedule of programs.