Photo: NPS/Patrick Myers← Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve · Camping
Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
21 sites · Free · First come, first served · No RVs
About Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites
Roadside camping is permitted at 21 campsites in Great Sand Dunes National Preserve beginning 5.2 miles from where the road begins near Piñon Flats Campground. These designated sites are free of charge and first-come, first-served. All 21 sites fill on summer weekends. Passable only in the warmer months and only with high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. This road crosses areas of deep sand, traverses Medano Creek nine times, and passes through excellent habitat for bighorn sheep.
Photos
Campsites
Site-by-site details (sizes, hookups, shade) for this campground are coming soon.
Conditions at camp
🌤️ Forecast
🔥 Wildfires nearby
- Aspen Acres: 102,003 ac, 96% contained
🗓️ Typical weather
Spring can sometimes bring high winds, mainly in the afternoon. Temperatures may vary widely: highs may reach into the 70s F, or only into the 30s F with snow and an even colder wind chill. In summer, daytime high temperatures average 75-80 degrees F. However, sand surface temperatures can soar to 150 degrees F on sunny summer afternoons. Fall is generally mild, with Indian summer days. Highs average in the 60s - 70s F, with chilly nights in the 20s - 30s F. Frigid temperatures are the norm in winter.
Rules
- Camping is permitted in designated, marked sites only in the national preserve. No permits are necessary. - Tents must be located within 40 feet of the front of the bear box at each site. - Pets must be leashed or restrained at all times. - Fires only in existing fire rings; put out completely with water. Gather dead and down firewood 4” or less diameter. - No off-road driving. Vehicles must be highway-legal in Colorado. Park only in designated campsites or parking areas. - Secure food, coolers, toiletries, and trash from black bears. Lock them in the bear boxes provided at most sites. - All trash, including orange peels, egg shells and toilet paper, must be removed. Bury human waste 6” deep.
Trails near camp
- 🥾 Trail to Little Medano Creek Backcountry Campsite 0.1 mi
- 🥾 Trail to Indian Grove Backcountry Campsite 0.4 mi
- 🥾 Trail to Escape Dunes Backcountry Campsite 0.1 mi
- 🥾 Sand Pit Trail 0.5 mi
- 🥾 Trail to Sawmill Canyon Accessible Campsite 0.1 mi
- 🥾 Dunes Overlook Trail 0.5 mi
- 🥾 Sand Ramp Trail 11.4 mi
- 🥾 Dunes Access from Campground Trail 0.4 mi
- 🥾 Dunes Parking Lot to Campground Trail 0.5 mi
- 🥾 Unimproved Trail 1.4 mi
- 🥾 Medano Lake Trail 3.4 mi
- 🥾 Dunes Access from Visitor Center Trail 0.4 mi
Campground information from the National Park Service. Confirm current status with the park before you go.