Some of the highest inland sand dunes in the world are found at this national monument, located at the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley. It is possible to walk and climb the dunes. Special sand dune trucks take visitors to inaccessible points in the monument. The dunes change colors throughout the day, forming a dramatic and beautiful natural landscape with the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background. There are prehistoric towers and pueblos among the cliff dwellings, all in beautiful southwestern canyon country.
Access is via gravel and unpaved roads.
Mesa Verde National Park Located in the high plateau country of southwestern Colorado, this park is designated as a World Heritage Site and contains some of the largest and best examples of the amazing Anasazi cliff dwellings. Built more than 700 years ago, some of these incredible structures have more than 200 rooms. The park has paved roads offering viewpoints of the major ruins. Under the guidance of park rangers, it is possible to enter and explore several of the largest dwellings. A museum has exhibits on the Anasazi and attempts to explain the riddles of why the Indians built their villages in caves and why by the year 1300 they had completely abandoned the Mesa Verde plateau.