Back in 2011 my husband was just finishing up chemotherapy. As part of his recovery we decided to purchase a small camper and go on the road to explore the National Parks and be surrounded by nature. When we were leaving the campground at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, a ranger came over to us to say goodbye. I told him that I wished that we didn’t have to go, when he replied that they were in need of camp hosts for the next three weeks. We instantly said yes! He led us to our new camp spot, introduced us to the rest of the rangers and support staff, and trained us. Along with hiking, playing in the river when it flowed through the dunes, enjoying interpretive hikes and nighttime programs with the rangers during our downtime, we greatly enjoyed meeting people from all over the world, helping anywhere we were needed, and calling one of the most beautiful areas in our country, home for a little while. Each day we’d put our nearly three year old daughter and one year old son in their double stroller, our daughter wearing her Junior Ranger vest with all the badges she had earned along the way, her Junior Ranger hat, and her bison stuffy in hand, and stroll the campground to see that the campers had everything they needed before heading to the gate to see if the rangers could use a hand. She was so excited to put her little uniform on each day as a mini ambassador for the park! While our trip lasted nearly three months, those three weeks working with the rangers was one of the best times of our trip. Now in remission, my husband and I hope that during retirement we can return to the Great Sand Dunes and be camp hosts once more. The National Parks are the jewels of America showcasing its raw beauty, and glorious flora and fauna. They must be preserved and protected for future generations. It is our hope that other families, whether they volunteer or not, will be able to create memories as wonderful as ours were. We will never forget the kindness of the rangers and how rewarding it was working with them. The work they do is so important. Rangers are the best of us, and we are grateful for them everyday.
Sincerely,
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
How can something that is constantly shifting stand up to 750 feet tall? This southwestern park features the largest sand dunes in North America, and the key to their extraordinary height seems to lie in the combination of strong opposing winds and the presence of rivers and creeks, which capture drifting sands and redeposit them back on the dunes. Some of these remarkable hills are formations known as star dunes, molded by complex wind patterns into multi-pronged shapes, which look a bit like starfish from above.
State(s): Colorado
Established: 2004
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Greetings from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
I visited a national park for the first time in August of 2022. Growing up in urban New Jersey, it was quite a culture shock to suddenly be amidst the San Juan mountains of Colorado. I went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park as part of my orientation for…
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Greetings from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
I visited when this used to be a National Monument and returned years later when it grew up to become a National Park. Forest, river, sand dune, mountains topped with snow capped peaks I see a natural layer cake.
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