Wednesday 12.8. (Great Sand Dunes)

This park is probably the most extraordinary and interesting place we have seen in the last 6 weaks in America. The highest sand dunes in Northern America (300 meters), which the sand "desert" consists of, 10 miles long and right next to it peaks of the mountains, the forest, meadows, marshes and a creek full of trouts -- completely amazing view (and each time of the day unique in different way), which we have to share only with a small amount of other tourists, the smallest from all the other parks which we visited till now. In the morning, we climb at one of the highest dunes. From the camp it looks so easy but the dunes are higher as it seems and the moving sand does not ease the climbing. Even if it is not so hot yet (about 30 degrees in the shadow), the sand was pretty hot and we agree that this is one of the most challenging hikes in the USA, so far. At last all of us climb to the top, we enjoy the nice view (and the way down as well). Before the noon we drive to Visitors Center for the backcountry permit and at about 1 o'clock we set off for the 10 kilometers long walk along the dunes. We walk constantly on the sand, often through smaller hills and dunes, so that we arrive to the end of the hike (primitive camp on the other side of the dunes, where is nobody else just we) only after 4 hours. During the hike we make a stop at the Medano Creek and freshen ourselves a little. We set the tent, hang all the food 3 meters from the surface on one of the tree branches (because of bears and mountauin lions who live there in large amounts) and enjoy the wilderness. After the sunset we look at the meteoric fall from Perseid constallation, the sky is almost perfect, without the light pollution.