NationalParkEntry

CO · Rocky Mountains

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve entry requirements

No timed-entry or vehicle reservation is needed to enter Great Sand Dunes in 2026. Entrance is $25 per vehicle. Check any visit date against the official 2026 rules.

The 2026 season at Great Sand Dunes

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

No reservation is required to enter Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

  1. Park entrance

    Required

    You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.

    • Private vehicle: $25, valid for 7 days.
    • Motorcycle: $20.
    • Per person on foot or bicycle: $15.
    • An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
    • Private vehicle $25 valid 7 days; motorcycle $20 valid 7 days, admits up to 2 motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers; per person $15 for bicycles or walk-in visitors aged 16 and over. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass is $45. Passes may be bought in advance on Recreation.gov or at the entrance station.

  2. Timed entry

    Not required

    Nothing here is required in 2026.

    • No timed entry, no advance reservation, and no visitor cap. Entire park and preserve, including the main dunes parking lot

  3. Vehicle, road, or corridor

    Not required

    Nothing here is required in 2026.

    • Medano Pass Primitive Road — 4WD route, seasonal, open for the 2026 season. No permit or reservation is needed to drive it; it is a road-condition and vehicle-capability limit, not a booking.
    • Medano Creek is nearly dry in 2026 — the seasonal 'beach' experience is minimal.

  4. Shuttle

    Not applicable

    Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve has no shuttle system.

  5. Your campground or lodging

    Not applicable

    Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.

  6. Selected activity

    Not applicable

    Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve has no headline activity permit that visitors confuse with entry.

Fees and passes

Private vehicle$25
Motorcycle$20
Per person, on foot or bicycle$15
Valid for7 days
Park annual pass$45

Private vehicle $25 valid 7 days; motorcycle $20 valid 7 days, admits up to 2 motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers; per person $15 for bicycles or walk-in visitors aged 16 and over. The Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass is $45. Passes may be bought in advance on Recreation.gov or at the entrance station.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

The America the Beautiful interagency pass is accepted and covers the entrance fee. There is nothing else at Great Sand Dunes for a pass to cover, because the park runs no reservation or timed-entry system.

Fee-free days

  • Feb 16, 2026
  • May 25, 2026
  • Jun 14, 2026
  • Jul 3, 2026
  • Jul 4, 2026
  • Jul 5, 2026
  • Aug 25, 2026
  • Sep 17, 2026
  • Oct 27, 2026
  • Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Nothing at Great Sand Dunes changes based on whether you have an in-park campground or lodging booking.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Great Sand Dunes?
No. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($25 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Great Sand Dunes?
Yes. A private vehicle pass is $25 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

  • Great Sand Dunes entrance feePasses may be purchased through Recreation.gov in advance or paid at the entrance station. No advance purchase is required.

Official booking and park information

What this does not cover

  • Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
  • Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
  • Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
  • Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

  • Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrancePrivate Vehicle $25.00 "Valid for 7 days." Motorcycle $20.00 "Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers." Great Sand Dunes Annual Pass $45.00.
  • Fees & Passes - Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Great Sand Dunes entrance feePrivate Vehicle $25.00 "Valid for 7 days." Motorcycle $20.00 "Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers." Per Person $15.00 for bicycles or walk-in visitors aged 16+.
  • Fees & Passes - Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No timed entry, no advance reservation"There are no advance reservations, timed entries, or visitor limits at Great Sand Dunes."
  • Alerts & Current Conditions - Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Medano Pass Primitive RoadMedano Pass Road: "OPEN for 2026 Season". Page last updated June 11, 2026.
  • Alerts & Current Conditions - Great Sand Dunes National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Medano Creek is nearly dry in 2026"The 2026 water year was one of the driest on record for the area. Creek flows are minimal and the water wont flow in the area by the main dunes parking lot." Page last updated June 11, 2026.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-26

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Great Sand Dunes, not by editorial preference.