Picture towering sand dunes, backed by snow-capped mountains, with a creek running through the valley—and you’ve got Great Sand Dunes National Park, one of the most unexpected landscapes in the U.S.

The Star Dune and High Dune hikes will put your legs to the test, but the views from the top are unreal—rolling dunes in every direction with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains looming in the distance. Not feeling the hike? Grab a sandboard or sled and ride down the slopes for one of the coolest experiences you’ll ever have in a national park.

In spring and early summer, Medano Creek flows at the base of the dunes, turning the park into a desert beach, perfect for wading, skimboarding, or just cooling off after a long hike. And when night falls? The stargazing is out of this world—this place is an official Dark Sky Park, meaning you’ll see more stars than you even knew existed.

Great Sand Dunes is proof that Colorado is way more than just mountains—it’s adventure, contrast, and straight-up jaw-dropping scenery, all in one wild and unexpected package.