The Great Sand Dunes National Park visitor center and dune area were expected to clear after morning fog on October 27. However, Pinon Flats Campground, reached by paved road, should be considered separately from the unpaved water crossings on Medano Pass. An NPS Medano Pass notice updated October 23 still reported that recent heavy rain had left fast-moving water at some crossings, reaching depths of up to 3 feet.
Areas Affected
A weather outlook issued by the NWS Pueblo office at 12:43 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time on the 27th said fog could persist through midmorning in the San Luis Valley and other areas, reducing surface visibility to as little as 1 mile. This was a broad-area outlook of possible conditions, not an indication that the same visibility had been observed on every access road. Campers leaving before dawn or traveling to the visitor center could not plan solely around clear skies expected after sunrise.
The point forecast linked from the park weather page for the visitor center, campground, and dunes called for patchy fog before 9 a.m., then clear skies and a high near 54°F. North-northwest winds of 5 to 10 mph were expected to shift to the west-southwest in the afternoon. The low the night of the 27th was forecast near 32°F, with west winds of 10 to 15 mph. The day-to-night temperature swing was expected to continue on the 28th, with a high near 56°F and a low near 32°F.
This point forecast applied to an elevation of 8,182 feet and was updated at 4:11 a.m. on the 27th. It was valid from 6 a.m. on the 27th through 6 p.m. on November 2, with the end time in Mountain Standard Time. These figures could not substitute for conditions at higher-elevation Medano Pass, and road conditions needed to be checked separately from the temperature forecast.
What RV Travelers Need to Know
The NPS road notice dated the 23rd listed Medano Pass Primitive Road as open but warned of deep, fast-moving water especially at the third, fourth, and fifth crossings. It also reported slick mud near Camp 4.5 and between the eighth and ninth crossings, along with wet ground and downed trees at Camp 4.5. Because those conditions were recorded on the 23rd, they did not establish the exact water depths on the 27th, but an open designation alone was not evidence that normal travel conditions had returned.
Pinon Flats Campground, accessed by paved road, was scheduled to remain open through October 31, and all sites required reservations through Recreation.gov. There are no electric, water, or sewer hookups. General site guidance is for RVs up to 25 feet, though some pull-through spaces can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet; travelers needed to check each site’s listed length and turning conditions on the reservation page. A campground being open was separate from whether space was available for a particular date.
First-come, first-served campsites on Medano Pass should not be treated as alternative RV sites to Pinon Flats. Beyond the Point of No Return, a four-wheel-drive vehicle with sufficient ground clearance and low-range gearing is required; AWD vehicles and standard crossovers are not permitted. Whether designated sites along the road could be reached also depended on water, mud, and a vehicle’s actual capabilities.
Before departing, travelers should check both the update date on the NPS road page and the park weather page. For more current on-the-ground conditions, they could contact the visitor center at 719-378-6395. Morning fog, overnight forecasts near freezing, and the campground season’s October 31 end date all needed to be considered separately when planning a paved-road visit and unpaved mountain travel.
Sources: NWS forecast for the visitor center, campground, and dunes · NWS Pueblo weather outlook · NPS park-area weather · NPS Medano Pass road conditions · NPS camping schedule · NPS Pinon Flats Campground
Photo: NPS Photo / Mackenzie Reed · Original photo and terms of use · Public domain: Full Granting Rights · Taken 2017-02-26.