Great Sand Dunes National Park

In August, we flew to Colorado for the weekend to spend time with one of our favorite families, the Bishops. We love the evening Southwest route between MSP-DEN because it is nonstop, the departure and arrival times work well, and this time around, it allowed us to catch some of our beloved Packers at the airport.

On Saturday morning, we packed up and drove 4 hours south from Denver to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. About 50 miles out, we caught our first glimpse of the dunes at the base of the mountains and watched them slowly get closer before finally entering the park.

We arrived early afternoon, ate lunch and set up camp before setting off for the dunes.

And yes, that small tent fits perfectly inside our carry-on backpacks and both of us sleep in there together.

The dunes were incredible. Seriously, so. much. sand. carried down the stream and left piled at the foot of the mountains, a perfect playground for adults and kids alike.

Mason had his little National Park shirt on and loved playing in the water and sand with his bucket and shovel at the base of the dunes. He was delighted!

On the dunes, it was windy, and the sand blowing full-force stung our unprotected legs and arms, but we pushed on. Up and over. Higher and higher. It is captivating to be surrounded by a sea of sand and mountains, hearing nothing but wind on the ridges and moments of silence and stillness in the valleys.

In some of the valleys, the prairie sunflowers were in bloom.

And we climbed up to Star Dune, one of the highest dunes.

The wind was whipping, but the views worth it.

After the hike, it was back to camp to grill for dinner. 

And the sun made an appearance, so Jen and I escaped for a bit back to the dunes.

So thankful for Jen. She is a treasured friend and wonderful mama. Although miles and states separate us, it is so fun to talk with and learn from her as we both try to live the natural way with our families and dream about living in the country, raising organic chickens, and having gardens someday.

The fire kept us warm as the sun went down and evening settled in. The stars shown brightly above as we tucked into the tents, amazed at how small we were in comparison to the night's sky.

The next morning, we awoke bright and early to 40*, gathered around the fire to warm up, and ate breakfast before setting off for the dunes.

The sun was shining, and with few visitors at this time of day, it was like having the entire place to ourselves.

One of the major changes since our visits last August and November is Baby Mason; he is no longer a baby. He is a precious, spirited little boy with a personality, and it is so fun to watch him explore fearlessly. 

Watching our friends parent this little one with patience, grace, and flexibility is such an example and inspiration to us. 

Jeff, Jen, + Mason - Thank you for the wonderful weekend, the laughter and fellowship, and some of these pictures too. :) Love you all!