I went to southern colorado last summer near alamosa with some family friends that rented a cabin 15 mins from the dunes. I was really pissed off to see that ohv's weren't allowed in the place. The dunes were better than little sahara oklahoma for comparisons sake. Anyway how come this place isn't open to ohv's? They would make alot more money if they allowed people to bring their toys to the dunes and let them ride.

 

the Great sand dunes National Monument became a monument and was designated wildnerss in the early 30's, just recently they made it a national park to try to get some tourisim, still not too may folks come, not surprising, not too many want to walk around in the sand dunes, 30m square miles of some of the best dunes in America wasted [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

I know, I wish it was open to OHV's. Lots of sand that never gets touched. Most people only walk the first little bit of the dunes. I wish it was not a National Monument. My wife thought I was going crazy when we were down there last summer, I kept walking around making ATV noises !!!
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That looks impressive!

I'ld drive to ride that!

 

It is a waste of some of the best sand in the country. I would drive there again if the dunes were rideable. It would be worth the fourteen hour drive from austin although on some of the inclines going through the mountains we could barley pull sixty without towing anything.

 

There's a prime example of your tree huggin, enviro-**** lovin' bureaucratic quagmire government at work for ya!
Sucking our tax $$ to protect it from all us wild/crazy/irresponsible ATV enthusiasts... B.S. plain and simple!

 

The tallest dunes in North America are actually located here at about 750 ft.

 

Wow, I didn't know the dunes in Colorado were that big!! Those pictures look awesome! It would literally take an act of congress to get them reopened. Start lobbying now.

In defense of the tree-hugging hippies that got them closed, in 1932 the probably didn't forsee any use for such an area of land. It's like Yellowstone. That place is worthless for farming or most other industry, and it's out in the middle of nowhere. Now we've discovered that dunes are great for motorized recreation and that Yellowstone is a snowmobile paradise, but riding is limited because of what was done 80 years ago.

 

Whether it was today or 1832, common sense prevails... Foot prints in the sand disappear within 5 minutes on a windy day... Hmm, I can see a real good reason to protect these from all mankind... motorized or not.
Wipe the sap from the side of your head.

 

What they did in the 30's is not as relavent as what they did a couple years ago, they made it a national park to get more tourism but still not many people come, if they opened half of it up there would be many who would come and they would spend money in these towns that want tourists, with camping fees it would finaly pay for it's self....with the wind tracks in sand always disapear, ridges are reformed and the dunes continue to move and be reborn as though we were never there