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Rio Grande National Forest
Around the Forest

Sand Dunes National Monument is a swirling sea of sand where 700-foot dunes rise from the vortex. Nestled against the San Cristo Mountains, the dunes are North America's tallest and create an eerie Martian landscape of"ghost forests" by swamping trees with sand until they die of starvation and suffocation. Several trails penetrate this fascinating terrain.

Alamosa offers lodging and restaurants near the Sand Dunes National Monument. The town of Mosca is home to the San Luis Lakes State Park and serves as a wetland oasis for migratory waterfowl in the San Luis Valley. The Rio Grand National Forest is a four-hour drive south of Denver and four-hour drive north of Albuquerque.


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