Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve: The Definition of Diversity

There are those who say it looks “almost alien,” as if it can’t be “native” to the land it sits upon. It’s true that we are not confused when witnessing wide expanses of sand-filled desert located in Arizona and New Mexico, but it is also true that none can compare with the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado. Sitting at the edge of the Rockies, the brilliant snow caps upon the tall mountains definitely don’t mesh with the golden sand dunes located at their base. Covering a large area and reaching heights of 700 feet above the floor of the completely flat San Luis Valley, the tallest dunes in America sit. It took thousands of years of westerly winds blowing over the Rockies to create the Great Sand Dunes which continue to grow every day, as the wind gradually transforms the shape and patterns of the sand.

It took Thousands of Years to Create

???????????Although it took thousands of years, it was actually only recently that the Great Sand Dunes National Monument was officially upgraded in status. It was in November of 2000 that, after years of purchasing adjoining ranchland, it came to be known as the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. But the history behind the area is a long and colorful one. Evidence shows that humans calling this home date back 11,000 years. People have had a connection with the Great Sand Dunes for countless generations, with some of the earliest being from the Stone Age—nomadic hunters and gatherers who dwelled around the herds of mammoths and prehistoric bison grazing nearby. But up until 400 years ago, there were others who made a connection to the land.

???????????Although the names and languages of the earliest tribes are unknown, modern American Indians are very familiar with the area. A variety dwelled in and around the dunes when Spanish explorers arrived in 1694, with Don Diego de Vargas being the first documented European to enter the San Luis Valley. De Vargas was followed by many more; in fact, this became a travel route for one and all. Read More: https://trailofhighways.com/great-sand-dunes-national-park-preserve/

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