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Colorado's Great Sand DunesNation's 58th National Park
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, located in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, contains some of the oldest known archeological sites in the United States, and is home to more than 30 square miles of the country's tallest and most fragile sand dunes in the world, many reaching heights greater than 750 feet. The region also features alpine lakes, ancient spruce and pine forests, six peaks reaching more than 13,000 feet in elevation, and is home to diverse wildlife, plants, and insect species found nowhere else on earth. The national park classification ensures that these varied and distinct natural features will be preserved for scientific, educational and cultural purposes. "The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a living hourglass. The ebb and flow of rushing wind and pulsing water sweeps across the landscape, creating a natural sculpture worthy of permanent preservation," said Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton. In addition, the Dept. of the Interior reached an agreement to divide the 97,000-acre Baca Ranch between the Great Sand Dunes and Baca National Wildlife Refuge. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will obtain 31,000 acres of the Baca Ranch and 14,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service land. The wildlife refuge will incorporate the largest portion of the remaining acres from the Baca Ranch. For more information about the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve visit www.nps.gov/grsa . For complete information on planning your vacation to Colorado, including lodging, attractions and activities, log on to www.colorado.com or call 800-COLORADO for a free state vacation guide. Edited by Dave Shultz |
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The Great Sand
Dunes, formerly a national monument and preserve, was designated this month
by the Dept. of the Interior as a national park and preserve, becoming the
nation's 58th national park and Colorado's fourth. Baca National Wildlife
Refuge, located adjacent to the 750-foot dunes, was also designated as a
protected area, becoming Colorado's largest wildlife refuge.