Hiking the Star Dune Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park
Distance (High Dune & Medano Creek Loop): 7.5 miles / 12.1 km
The Star Dune Trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the most unique adventures within the 30-square-mile dune field, as this beautiful, remote adventure winds its way to one of two different sand dunes that are tied for being the tallest in North America!
That being said, hiking to the Star Dune is often viewed in one of two different ways. First, hikers can hike up to the High Dune, followed by the Star Dune (which is the option I recommend), or there is the option to hike along Medano Creek until the base of Star Dune before turning up into a remote part of the dune field. This is actually the option I recommend for the return hike, but not for starting, because simply navigating into the dune field from this direction is not as straightforward as it may seem.
This is all to say that there is one best route to follow in order to maximize effort and minimize elevation gain, as hiking in a straight line toward either the High Dune or Star Dune is neither effective nor efficient. By following the natural ridges up the dune field, as shown in this article, you can summit the First Ridge, High Dune, and the Star Dune with the least amount of effort compared to hiking without a plan.
Star Dune Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Star Dune Trails is located at the Medano Creek Trailhead, the most popular access point for the Great Sand Dunes.
That being said, the parking lot is very large and can accommodate large vehicles and trailers, so finding a spot to park is typically never an issue.
Google Maps Directions: Medano Creek Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Great Sand Dunes
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Hiking the Star Dune Trail
To hike to the Star Dune, I recommend first hiking to the High Dune, which begins at one of several access points at the Medano Creek Trailhead, also called the Dunes Trailhead.
Note that all GPS coordinates in this article follow the visual representation of Google Maps and that actual locations may be slightly different from the imagery of where these pins were placed.
To skip ahead to the top of the High Dune where the Star Dune Trail begins, click here.
Once on the sand, walk to the northwest directly toward the dune field and Medano Creek, not toward the High Dune.
The easiest ridges to the top are to the east of the High Dune, not directly toward it.
With that in mind, the entire High Dune Trail can be vague; however, you can follow the fastest route using my GPX file linked below to stay on the best route.
Download GPX File: High & Star Dune Trail
Medano Creek
Typically, Medano Creek flows through this area at the base of the dune field throughout the winter, spring, and early summer months.
However, these photos were taken in September, when the creek was nonexistent this far from the mountains, as it truly ebbs and flows with the seasonal snowmelt and rain.
Contrary to how you might imagine a windswept dune field forming, the sand dunes and ridges do not change.
In fact, there is an old photo in the visitor center of the First Ridge that looks almost identical to how it does today.
The joke is that sand dunes get a 'haircut,' so to speak, where the tops of the dunes and ridges may change in height slightly, but their overall mass and shape stay the same.
This is all to say that the route you see here will be the route to follow for many years to come!
When you get into the Great Sand Dunes, there’s simply no way to accurately describe which direction to hike to get on the best path, except to say: use these GPS directions linked throughout the sections below!
These coordinates follow the best path toward the First Ridge with the least amount of effort required.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'40.9"N 105°31'18.3"W
This is where the first set of coordinates takes you, and from here, go left to climb the neighboring ridge toward the next pin.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'43.7"N 105°31'21.9"W
This is the ridge crest of the second GPS coordinates.
From here, simply follow the ridge until the left-hand turn toward the following ridge that can be seen on the left in the photo below.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'49.6"N 105°31'22.8"W
This is the location of the coordinates linked above, and from here, go left to stay on the High Dune Trail and gain the neighboring ridge that leads up to the summit of the First Ridge.
That being said, this dip is one of the few times on the High Dune Trail when losing elevation is essentially unavoidable.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'53.3"N 105°31'30.6"W
These mid-elevations on the way up to the First Ridge are a favorite among visitors wishing to sled in the sand dunes!
Once on this next ridge, the hike up to the First Ridge and High Dune becomes much more straightforward and easy to follow, as the best path simply follows the most prominent ridgeline up to the top.
That said, the next set of coordinates below is for the next turn just below the First Ridge.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'57.9"N 105°31'29.8"W
This is the location where the coordinates above lead, which is also where hikers have the choice to either continue on the ridgeline in order to keep climbing or go left to hike down and up and take a more direct approach.
I chose to go left toward the next pin because walking on the ridge of a sand dune is not as easy as it may seem.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'58.9"N 105°31'32.0"W
This ridge is the more direct approach to the crest of the First Ridge.
Google Maps Directions: First Ridge
First Ridge
The First Ridge is not a named landmark within the Great Sand Dunes National Park, but it is a common reference point for both hikers and park staff alike.
This is the point where backcountry camping becomes legal, and from this point on, the High Dune truly starts to come into view, which is the highest sand dune on the left side of the photo below.
Note that the First Ridge sits right at the 1.0-mile (1.6 km) mark, which is 1.0 mile (1.6 km) by hiking, not as the crow flies.
That being said, go left once on the First Ridge and follow the ridgeline directly toward the High Dune, about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away.
Google Maps Directions: High Dune
From the crest of the First Ridge, the High Dune Trail becomes much easier to follow, as it simply heads directly west toward the closest and tallest sand dune in the photo below.
This is where the High Dune Trail makes its final ascent up to the summit.
High Dune
The High Dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park is not taller than the Star Dune or Hidden Dune, but it is higher because its base rests at a higher elevation than the other two.
This is where the name 'High Dune' comes from, as it is the highest and most prominent dune from places afar, like the Sand Sheet Loop Trail.
Star Dune Trail
In comparison to the High Dune Trail, the Star Dune Trail from the summit of the High Dune is much easier to navigate because understanding the direction to hike is simpler when walking on the tops of the ridges in the dune field, as opposed to climbing up into the dune field.
That being said, the Star Dune is much more remote than the High Dune, which is why I only recommend hiking past the first ridge to those who are very directionally aware.
I say it like this because, unlike the High Dune Trail to the First Ridge, there are fewer landmarks to help you understand where you are, whereas on the High Dune Trail, the visitor center is in sight for most of the hike.
In any case, go straight past the High Dune toward the point where the ridge makes a hard left to begin the Star Dune Trail.
Google Maps Directions: 37°45'01.0"N 105°31'57.9"W
After making it to the left-hand turn past the High Dune, continue to the west toward the next pin linked below.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'54.8"N 105°32'10.0"W
Not long after leaving the High Dune, the Star Dune starts to stand out from the rest, which is the highest dune off in the distance that can be seen in the photo below.
From this second pin after the High Dune, simply continue toward the next pin linked.
This next stretch will remain on the ridgeline before dropping down and up until the Star Dune Trail reaches the much more prominent ridgeline toward the southwest shown below.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'53.0"N 105°32'21.8"W
This is where the Star Dune Trail leaves the ridgeline to drop down and up onto the smaller ridge to the right.
This is the location of the coordinates linked above.
From here, simply continue on the ridgeline to the southwest toward the next pin.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'47.7"N 105°32'27.3"W
This is where the ridge curves to the right, and it’s the location of the coordinates linked above.
Again, the Star Dune Trail continues on the ridgeline toward the next pin linked below.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'50.2"N 105°32'32.3"W
Next, the Star Dune Trail begins to follow this very prominent ridge toward the southwest, which will inevitably climb one steep and unavoidable hill on the way to the Star Dune.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'41.6"N 105°32'47.3"W
This was the point when I realized that the weather closing in was going to be unavoidable.
I was far too deep in the dune field to turn back toward the trailhead, and I was far too exposed where I was to sit and hope for the best or leave the dunes to get to Medano Creek.
Therefore, I decide to keep hiking toward the base of the Star Dune because that was the largest natural landmark that I thought might give me some hope of protection.
In any case, continue toward the ridge straight ahead and take note of the low point with all the vegetation in the photo below. These low points are exactly why following the directions posted here traverses the easiest route in the dune field, because hiking in a straight line directly toward the Star Dune inevitably means hiking down and up constantly, as opposed to saving your efforts by meandering along the ridgelines in the right direction.
Once on the next ridge, go right toward the Star Dune and follow the ridge crest toward the next pin.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'57.9"N 105°32'50.1"W
This is the location of the pin linked above, and from here, the trail to the top of the Star Dune is fairly straightforward, meaning there is nothing more to know besides hiking directly toward it and following the ridges to the top.
Google Maps Directions: Star Dune
At this point, the storm crept concerningly close, and I just had to hope that I could make it as far as the Star Dune before it was directly overhead.
The Star Dune is the closest and highest dune in the photo below.
At this point, the rest is up to you!
This is the base of the Star Dune, and while I did not summit the Star Dune on this day for my own safety, I have climbed to the top before.
In fact, I actually dialed 911 on this hike for the first and only time in my long outdoor career—not because I needed to be rescued, but because I wanted someone to be aware of my location and needed to know which way the storm cells were moving in order to make a safe and smart decision.
I needed to know whether it was best to stay put and seek shelter at the base of the Star Dune, or to follow the common route to the left, back out of the dune field toward Medano Creek.
Star Dune
The Star Dune, along with the Hidden Dune, is tied as not only the highest sand dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park but also the highest in all of North America!
That being said, the heights between the two can actually change from day to day, depending on the winds, meaning that one day the Hidden Dune may be the highest and on another the Star Dune may be the highest.
On a different note, the Star Dune is undoubtedly one of the best places to catch the sunset in Great Sand Dunes National Park, but I only recommend this to hikers who are comfortable navigating the long distance back to the trailhead in the dark, likely along the Medano Creek route.
Ultimately, I decided to keep moving based on the input I received over the phone until the conditions told me otherwise.
However, there was more than once when I needed to crouch, ditch my bag, which had a tripod in it, and stay low as the lightning passed overhead.
All that said, the best route out of the dune field from the Star Dune is to hike out toward Medano Creek, keeping the ridgeline that leads up to the Star Dune on the right-hand side.
The coordinates below are the first place to hike after summiting the Star Dune.
Google Maps Directions: 37°44'16.8"N 105°33'14.1"W
This unavoidable hill is one of the few times the trail out to Medano Creek gains elevation, and it was one of my least favorite moments, as I had just finished waiting for the lightning to pass.
The top of this hill is the location of the first pin after the Star Dune.
From here, stay high and to the left to avoid unnecessary elevation gain by dropping too low.
Google Maps Directions: 37°43'57.4"N 105°33'04.6"W
This is the ridgeline to keep on the left in order to avoid losing too much elevation, which would inevitably have to be regained if you drop too low.
After making it out of the tallest dunes, simply navigate toward Medano Creek in the best way you see fit.
This final section, leaving the sand dunes, is exactly why I recommend against hiking up this way, as it’s far too difficult to describe which way is the best route, which is particularly challenging when hiking into the dune field compared to exiting.
Google Maps Directions: Medano Creek
Regarding everything said above, it’s likely that you won’t choose the most efficient route out to Medano Creek.
However, as long as you’re hiking in the right direction, the return loop becomes easier and easier as the ridges get smaller.
Medano Creek
Once at Medano Creek, go right and hike upstream for roughly 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to return to the trailhead.
Google Maps Directions: Medano Creek Trailhead
Medano Creek Trailhead
If you hike the Star Dune for sunset, the Medano Creek Trailhead will be a lot less noticeable compared to returning midday when there are, obviously, more hikers passing back and forth.
Therefore, I highly recommend following some sort of navigational device—whether my pins linked in this article or something different—as the parking lot is not well marked or easy to notice at this time of day.
