Piñon Flats Campground: Your Gateway to Great Sand Dunes National Park

Piñon Flats Campground Introduce

For Colorado locals, a visit to the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is an iconic experience, and at the heart of this majestic landscape lies Piñon Flats Campground. This welcoming campground is more than just a place to set up your tent or RV; it's an immersive gateway to the tallest dunes in North America, offering direct access to unique adventures and breathtaking scenery. While it provides essential amenities for a comfortable stay, its true appeal lies in its prime location within the National Park, allowing visitors to truly connect with this extraordinary natural wonder. Whether you're planning a family trip to splash in Medano Creek, a peaceful retreat under a blanket of stars, or an active exploration of the dunes, Piñon Flats Campground serves as your perfect basecamp for an unforgettable Colorado outdoor experience.

Piñon Flats Campground is ideally situated within the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, at 11999 CO-150, Mosca, CO 81146, USA. This location is approximately 5 miles north of the park's main entrance on CO-150, making it incredibly accessible for those already entering the park. To reach the park itself, visitors can take US Highway 160 to CO Highway 150 from the south, or CO Highway 17 to Lane 6, then to CO Highway 150 from the west. Its position inside the National Park means unparalleled convenience for exploring the dunes, Medano Creek, and surrounding trails. While there is a fee to enter Great Sand Dunes National Park ($25 as of reviews, or free with a National Park Annual Pass), this cost grants access to both the park and the campground. For Coloradans, the relatively straightforward drive and the immediate immersion into a world-class natural attraction make Piñon Flats Campground a highly desirable and easily reachable destination for family vacations and outdoor adventures.

Piñon Flats Campground is well-equipped with essential services and amenities designed to enhance your camping experience within the National Park. It focuses on providing comfort and convenience while maintaining a natural atmosphere.

Campsites: The campground offers 88 individual campsites across two loops, accommodating both tents and RVs (up to 35 feet in length for some sites in Loop 1 and 2). Each individual site includes a picnic table, a fire ring with a grate, and a bear locker (42"x29"x26") for food storage.
Clean Restrooms: A highly praised amenity is the cleanliness of the restroom facilities. These include sinks, flush toilets, and a dedicated dishwashing sink, making cleanup after meals much easier. Reviewers frequently highlight the well-maintained nature of these facilities, with "family bathrooms" also available.
Potable Water: Potable water spigots are available throughout all three loops, ensuring easy access to fresh drinking water.
Dump Station: For RVers, a dump station and water hoses are available near the campground during warmer months, providing essential facilities for waste disposal and refilling water tanks.
Campground Store: A small campground store is conveniently located between Loop 1 and Loop 2, offering essentials like drinks, snacks, limited camping foods, ice, and firewood for purchase.
Firewood Delivery: For an extra $5, campers can have firewood delivered directly to their campsite, a convenient service that saves effort (firewood collection within the park is prohibited).
Trash Receptacles: Trash bins, including specific bins for kids' diapers in the women's restroom, are available, promoting cleanliness and responsible waste disposal within the campground.
Dog-Friendly: Pets are welcome in the campground and must be kept on a leash (6 feet or less) at all times, with owners responsible for cleaning up after them. Poop bags are available.

Piñon Flats Campground truly shines with its unique features and highlights, offering an unparalleled experience directly within one of Colorado's most iconic National Parks.

Direct Access to Great Sand Dunes: The most significant highlight is its proximity to the vast dunefield. Campers have "super easy access" to the dunes, allowing for spontaneous exploration, sand sledding, and sandboarding (rentals available outside the park). Many sites offer "spectacular views of the Sand Dunes."
Medano Creek: During late spring and early summer (typically May to early June), Medano Creek flows at the base of the dunes, providing a unique "beach" experience for splashing, wading, and cooling off. This seasonal creek is a massive draw for families.
Stargazing Opportunities: The remote location and dark skies of Great Sand Dunes National Park (an International Dark Sky Park) make Piñon Flats an incredible spot for stargazing and astrophotography, offering breathtaking views of the Milky Way and celestial objects.
Wildlife Viewing: The campground is situated amidst piñon pines and sagebrush, beneath the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Mule deer are commonly seen in and around the campground, and other wildlife like elk and various bird species can be spotted.
Hiking Trails: Beyond the dunes, there are various hiking and backpacking trails accessible from or near the campground, including the Sand Ramp Trail which connects to other routes, and the nearby Mosca Pass Trail.
Peaceful & Quiet Atmosphere: Despite being popular, many visitors describe the campground as "nice, quiet," and "peaceful and relatively quiet," offering a serene environment for relaxation.
Seasonal Operation with Year-Round Access to Loop 1: The main campground is generally open from April through October. However, Loop 1 (sites 1-44) remains open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis, providing winter camping opportunities for those prepared for cold weather.
Family-Friendly Environment: With amenities like family bathrooms, a diaper trash bin, and activities like Medano Creek, the campground is very welcoming to families and children.

For inquiries, reservations, or more information about your stay at Piñon Flats Campground, please use the following contact details:

Address: Great Sand Dunes NP&P, 11999 CO-150, Mosca, CO 81146, USA

Phone: (719) 378-6395

Mobile Phone: +1 719-378-6395

Reservations for Piñon Flats Campground (Loop 2 and group sites) are generally made through Recreation.gov up to six months in advance, especially for the popular warmer months (May through September). Loop 1 sites are first-come, first-served year-round. It is highly recommended to book well in advance, particularly for peak season weekends and holidays, as this is a popular National Park campground. For specific questions about current conditions, park entrance fees, or special circumstances, contacting the park directly via the provided phone numbers is advisable.

For us Colorado locals, Piñon Flats Campground is an unparalleled destination, offering direct access to one of our state’s most unique and awe-inspiring natural wonders: the Great Sand Dunes. This campground is perfectly tailored for families, adventurers, and anyone seeking a truly immersive outdoor experience right in their backyard. Imagine waking up to the majestic views of the dunes and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, then spending your day sand sledding, splashing in the seasonal Medano Creek, or exploring the surrounding trails, all just a short walk from your campsite. The convenience of clean restrooms, potable water, and a campground store with essentials (including firewood delivery!) makes for a hassle-free stay. While some sites might feel a bit cozy for larger setups, the overall positive experience, dog-friendly policy, and the opportunity for incredible stargazing beneath an International Dark Sky Park canopy far outweigh any minor considerations. Piñon Flats Campground isn't just a place to sleep; it's an integral part of the Great Sand Dunes adventure, providing an accessible and unforgettable way for Coloradans to connect with the raw beauty and unique spirit of our state's incredible landscapes. It’s a definite must-visit for any local outdoor enthusiast.

Piñon Flats Campground Photos

Piñon Flats Campground Location

Piñon Flats Campground

Colorado Alamosa County Mosca Colorado 150

Great Sand Dunes NP&P, 11999 CO-150, Mosca, CO 81146, USA

Piñon Flats Campground Reviews

This is a nice, quiet campground. We appreciated the bathrooms, especially the family one that made it easier to be with my children and handle medical situations. The dishwashing sink was also nice to have. The trail to the bathroom did have cacti along it, so at night we stuck to the road, which worked well. The site was a little small to fit both our regular tent and screen tent, but we made it work. Definitely bring bug spray!
Jun 30, 2025 · Mandie Langman
Great campground! Super easy access to the Sand Dunes. Peaceful and relatively quiet. Well-maintained camp sites and bathroom facilities. There was a trash bin specifically for kids' diapers in the women's room. There were lots of families and kids at the time we went, as well as several dogs! It is dog-friendly, too, and there are poop bags available.The camp sites are relatively close together, so you won't be isolated, but you will likely have neighbors close by. A few people arrived late at night, so probably expect some headlights and setup noise until later. There is a small campground store with essentials and you can also have firewood delivered to your campsite for an extra 5 bucks (or carry it out yourself).Note: There is a fee to enter the National Park, and this campground is inside the park, so you will need to pay the $25 (?) Or have a National Park Annual Pass ($80). If you enter the park after hours, you won't be charged the fee unless you leave and come back the next day.
May 04, 2025 · Cassie Stratton (Cassie Nicole)
I love the quiet and tranquility of this campground. The views are spectacular. We could see the Milky Way with the naked eye over the campground. The nights are cool and the days are warm. Make sure you bring insect repellent. We rode our bikes along the road to the visitor center.
Jul 02, 2025 · Sara Reich
Amazing campsite! We didn’t have fire starters and the camp store had just closed. Thankfully the camp host came around and introduced themselves. She was really kind and offered to bring us fire starters from her own campsite. Then John, the camp store employee, showed up a little bit later to start our fire for us!! They were both so friendly and helpful.We stayed at campsite 2, in loop 1. We had a view of both the sand dunes and Mt Herard (?)
Apr 07, 2025 · Carly Hein
The campground has no hook ups, and there are sites for RVs as well as tents. This is a good location to see the dunes, but that’s all that is here. I love to visit national parks, so I made my way to this one. However, this national park does not rank in the top 10 in my opinion.
May 03, 2025 · Jerry Winegard