Much of Great Sand Dunes National Park is protected as a Wilderness Area. This closes the main dunes area to vehicles. For those who enjoy a 4x4 road, a single route leads North from the park road to climb into the Rio Grande National Forest. The route is most commonly driven from Highway 69, over Medano Pass and into the park. The section near the dunes has several soft sand sections which may neccessitate reducing the air pressure in your tires.
Air is available in the park campground.
The park is near 8,000ft in elevation and in the winter months snowfall can cover the dunes to a depth of three feet. This opens up the possibility of cross-country skiing although it is not a major activity. Throughout the warmer months of the year camping is popular at Great Sand Dunes, becoming a sell-out in Summer. There are 88 camp sites and three group sites. If you wish to experience a night in the dunes a free backcountry permit is available.