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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Three Winter Days At Great Sand Dunes National Park And Preserve

There’s something to be said for spending a few winter days at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. Crowds are non-existent and there’s plenty of solitude. Despite the season, there’s plenty to do and see for three days’-worth of activities and contributing photographer Rebecca Latson writes about her own February trip to this park.

The Arrival Of Blue Hour Over Great Sand Dunes National Park And Preserve

A wide-angle view of valley, sand dunes, and mountains just after sunset, with a blue and purple sky, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

"Blue hour" is a term given to that time prior to sunrise and just after sunset, when the sky and landscape are bathed in swaths of blue, purple, pink, and mauve. During that time (which really doesn't last an hour - more like a few minutes), you might even see the atmospheric phenomenon known as the "belt of Venus," a line of deep blue and dark pink parallel to the horizon. A great place to view sunrise, sunset, and blue hour is at a pullout immediately after the turnoff from Colorado State Highway 150 onto Lane 6 N toward Mosca.

Rebecca Latson
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Photography In The National Parks: Abstracts In Nature

How many of you out there appreciate abstract art? Even if you don’t like it, how many of you have photographed something abstract because it caught your eye while visiting a unit of the National Park System? Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson discusses ways to photograph (or even create after the fact) abstracts framed within your national park compositions.

Star Dune And Crestone Peaks, Great Sand Dunes National Park And Preserve

Orange light of sunset bathing Star Dune and the Crestone Peaks with fluffy yellow clouds overhead, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

"The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Stay on a moonless night to experience countless stars in this International Dark Sky Park!" Arrive before dark with your camera to photograph the sunlight bathing dunes and peaks as the sun sets.

NPS/Patrick Myers
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Christmas Bird Count Comes To Great Sand Dunes National Park On December 23

Birders and nature enthusiasts in Colorado's San Luis Valley will join birders across the western hemisphere to participate in Audubon's longest-running wintertime tradition, the annual Christmas Bird Count, held at Great Sand Dunes National Park on December 23. Birders of all skill levels are invited and encouraged to participate.

Photography In The National Parks: Getting Great Smartphone Shots – Part 1

The smartphone camera is an amazing piece of technology and people are coming home from their national park trips with some really cool shots. In this month’s Part 1, contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides tips and techniques on how to make the most of your own smartphone camera for great park images that don’t look like a run-of-the-mill snapshot.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.