Scheduled Interpretive Programs

Your visit can be more rewarding when you better understand the environment around you. Ranger programs are offered most days from May through September, and on selected days from October through April. See the current schedule of programs. Please call the Visitor Center at 719-378-6399 for more information about programs.

"Art of the Dunes" Exhibit at Denver International Airport September 12, 2009 through January 10, 2010

 

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.

The Nature Conservancy partners with the National Park Service to protect the entire dunes system and its biodiversity. The Conservancy manages over 1000 bison on Conservancy-owned grasslands and wetlands within the national park.

Bison Tours are offered throughout the year, weather permitting, on Nature Conservancy lands. Led as a hayride (warmer months) or 4WD vehicle tour, bison managers take you to parts of the park that few visitors get to see. 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 available dates and times and to reserve a tour. 

The Nature Conservancy's Zapata Ranch also offers ranch experience stays and lodging in their historic ranch rooms.

For more information on dates, times, and prices, please call 1-888-5-ZAPATA (927282) ext. 110, or click the Bison Tours link above.

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 13 was the 2009 date; check this website in spring 2010 for the 2010 date. 

Special Guest Speakers and Concerts are scheduled each summer at the amphitheater. Check here in late spring for the 2010 schedule. 

Medano Pass Primitive Road Tours (Not available in 2009) in an open-air vehicle are offered in warmer months by the Oasis store, near the main entrance of the park. The tours start at the store, following a sandy road along the eastern edge of the dunes. Adults $21, $12 for children 12-18, $5 for children under 12. Tours take place at 11:00 and 2:00 in summer months or in shoulder seasons as long as there is a minimum of 6 people. Call 719-378-2222 for reservations and information.

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.