Dunes Overlook Trail

The walk begins at the small day-use parking area at the campground’s far north end, by the restroom. Most of the campground’s parking spaces are reserved for campsites, so follow the signs rather than pulling into a site. The trailhead can be easy to miss among the campground roads. From there, follow the Sand Ramp approach for about half a mile. This stretch is mostly flat and passes the Buck Creek area before the path to Dunes Overlook branches uphill. Stay on that signed branch; the continuing Sand Ramp Trail is a much longer foothills route to backcountry sites.

The overlook branch climbs through four switchbacks, gaining about 250 feet from the junction. Near the last turn, a short spur leads to the Lower Dunes Overlook; the Upper Overlook is roughly a tenth of a mile away. The lower opening frames the dune field and distant mountains through pinyon pine and juniper, while the upper viewpoint gives a similar, more open panorama. I’d take the short detour to both. If you only stop once, the trees at the lower opening make a memorable foreground against the sand.

The view takes in an active dunefield about 30 square miles in area. It is not simply blowing away from the mountains: winds from opposing directions and creeks that carry sand back from the valley help keep it gathered against the foothills. The streams bring sediment down from the mountain watershed, and wind moves sand across the valley floor before it is captured and recycled toward the dunes again. From the overlook, you can see the dunefield meeting the greener edge of the mountains that helps shape this moving system.

This is a dry montane woodland, where pinyon pines are common and Rocky Mountain junipers grow among them. They make the Lower Overlook’s natural frame and mark the change from the open sand to the mountain foothills. The view also gives you a broad look across the dunes toward the Sangre de Cristo range, rather than the close-up scale you get walking on the sand itself.

Use the marked day-use spaces at the north end of Loop 2; the campground restroom is at the trailhead area, but pets are not allowed inside it. Dogs are allowed on the Dunes Overlook route on a leash no longer than six feet, and owners must carry out waste. Keep pets on the marked trail, since nearby areas outside this route have different restrictions. No drinking-water source is confirmed along the hike, so start with water. The viewpoint is around 8,500 feet; take the uphill at a comfortable pace if altitude affects you.