#6 of 17 trails in Great Sand Dunes
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
A steep climb to a sweeping Sand Creek basin view.
Overview
Music Pass Trail is a 2.2-mile out-and-back from the upper Music Pass Trailhead to treeline, where the route opens onto Upper Sand Creek basin. It’s a good choice if you want an alpine outlook without taking on the much longer lake hikes beyond the pass. The mileage is short; the climb isn’t: allow about two hours for roughly 700 feet of gain at around 10,700 to 11,400 feet. If steep ground at altitude sounds like a poor fit, skip it. The view is earned, not handed over.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Sand Dunes Tour Guide
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Trail guide
The path winds through forest for about the first half-mile, then gets more open, steeper and rockier as it nears treeline. There isn’t a flat approach to ease you in, so take the ascent at a pace that works at this elevation. The mapped route in this entry stops at Music Pass. The named trail keeps descending on the far side, but that is the start of a much longer basin and lake outing.
The payoff is a broad look west into Upper Sand Creek basin, with dark forest below and high, rocky peaks around it. A rocky outcrop just before the crest makes a good place to stop; on a clear day, look for Tijeras Peak and Music Mountain across the valley. For a photo, leave some of the rough ridge in the foreground so the drop into the basin reads clearly. From the pass, trails continue toward the Sand Creek lakes and nearby 13,000-foot peaks; those are different, much longer hikes. Turn around at the crest for the route described here.
The upper trailhead is at the end of Music Pass Road. High-clearance four-wheel drive can reach it; the National Park Service directs two-wheel-drive drivers to park where the road crosses the Rainbow Trail. Starting there adds 2.5 miles each way, making this trip about 7.2 miles round trip. Visitors repeatedly describe the last road section as rough and narrow, and disagree about what an all-wheel-drive vehicle can handle. Follow the park’s vehicle guidance instead of counting on a regular car to reach the upper lot.
Snow can block these high trails from November into June, and patches may linger into summer. Check current road and trail conditions before making the long drive. The climb is steep and rocky and isn’t suitable for wheelchairs. Dogs are allowed in the Preserve on leash.
Upper Sand Creek basin is part of the alpine watershed of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. The pass also helps explain the dune field below: southwest winds funnel toward Music, Mosca and Medano passes, and sand gathers in the natural pocket beyond the range. That connection makes the view more than a mountain panorama; you’re looking across the high country tied to the dunes.
One backcountry guide repeats a bit of mountain lore that wind over the surrounding peaks can sound musical. The name’s origin isn’t settled, so take that as a story rather than history. Either way, Music Pass is a fitting place to pause before heading back down.
Wildlife
16 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
21 sightingsPronghornMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
12 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
153 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
38 sightingsRavenMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
15 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Sand Dunes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingLower Sand Creek Lake Trail8 mi · 6 hr · At the trailheadThe steep pass opens onto a high alpine lake basin.
ChallengingUpper and Lower Sand Creek Lakes Hike9.9 mi · 6.5 hr · At the trailheadTwo lakes beyond Music Pass, with hard miles in between.
ChallengingUpper Sand Creek Lake Trail7.7 mi · 7.5 hr · At the trailheadHigh alpine lake after a steep pass and loose basin descent.
ChallengingMedano Lake Trail7.4 mi · 5.5 hr · 5.7 mi awayCreekside forest climbs to an alpine lake beneath Mount Herard.
ChallengingSand Creek Trail10 mi · 9 hr · 6.7 mi awayA full-day creek climb to alpine lakes; high water can stop you.
ChallengingLiberty Stage Road14.8 mi · 7.5 hr · 8.9 mi awayA long old-road walk to lower Sand Creek and Crestone views.
ChallengingDeadman Creek Trail14.8 mi · 10 hr · 8.9 mi awayA faint creek route for confident backcountry navigators.
ChallengingMedano Lake via Medano Pass Primitive Road25.2 mi · 12.5 hr · 11.5 mi awayA long road-and-trail climb reaches Medano Lake beneath Mount Herard.
Sight · 2.5 mi awayLower Sand Creek LakeAn alpine lake past Music Pass, reached by a hard hike.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayLittle Sand Creek LakesA remote pair of alpine lakes beyond the steep Music Pass climb.
Sight · 3.1 mi awayUpper Sand Creek LakeAn alpine lake beyond Music Pass, reached by a long high-country climb.
Sight · 4.7 mi awayMedano LakeA timberline lake after 2,000 feet of climbing from a 4WD road.
Sight · 5.2 mi awayMount HerardA steep, remote climb earns a view over the entire dune field.
Sight · 5.6 mi awayMedano PassA high-country crossing reached by a demanding 4WD road.
Sight · 7.9 mi awayHerard HomesteadA remote ranch ruin with a remarkable bighorn story.
Sight · 9.4 mi awayIndian GroveGenerations of bark harvesting left their mark on this living pine grove.Parkwolf’s Great Sand Dunes ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
