There are five dunes over 700 feet tall. The "High Dune" on the first ridge is neither the highest in elevation nor the tallest in the park, but it looks that way from the main parking lot. This is the most common destination in the dunefield, providing a great view of the entire dunefield. It is about 699 feet (198 m) high. Cross the flats and zigzag up the ridgelines to reach it. Average round trip hiking time to the High Dune on the first ridge is 2 hours. From High Dune, the tallest dune you see to the west is Star Dune, rising 750 feet (229 m) from base to top. It is the tallest dune in North America. To reach it from High Dune, journey another mile and a half up and down across the dunes to its summit. Average round trip hiking time to Star Dune is about 5 hours. The highest dunes above sea level at Great Sand Dunes are those closest to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Credits and Sources:

“Hiking and Backpacking,” Crater Lake, National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/hiking.htm, Accessed on June 28, 2015.