Great for a romantic getaway, family trip, Adventure buddy excursion or a solo journey

For a great sample of the areas activities, we suggest a (3) night stay at Rustic Rook Resort.

Day 1 – Arrive
➼ Pre arrival – don’t forget to bring snacks – food is limited at camp. If you are bringing your own cooler make sure to stop for ice before arriving.
➼Arrive between 3 and 4pm, settle into your glamping tent then enjoy a refreshing beverage on your tent’s private patio while you unwind from your day of travel with views of the dunes and mountains. A walk around the sunrise loop, or to game area is also a great option particularly if you have kids who have been stuck in the car all day.
➼For dinner we suggest pre-ordering grill packs or bringing a cooler with your own food to grill. After dinner enjoy the sunset then head over to the campfire for s’mores. We suggest bringing a good book, or card/board games for evening entertainment.

Day 2 – The Great Sand Dunes & Colorado Reptile & Gator Park
➼Watch the sunrise from your porch, or from the sunrise loop walking path then head over for breakfast.
➼ Rent sand sleds or boards, then gear up for a day in the sun at the dunes. Get to the park before 10am to avoid the hottest part of the day and possible long lines at the entrance. We suggest climbing up the dunes and sledding/boarding first, then picking a hike in the park. Alltrails.com has a great list of hikes and can help you pick the hike with the perfect distance and views for you.
➼ After playing in the dunes head to the picnic area for lunch (adventure lunches can be pre ordered from Rustic Rook and picked up on your way out of camp) – if you didn’t bring a lunch you can order take out at The Sand Dunes Oasis – they have a restaurant shortly outside the park.
➼After lunch head back to camp to clean up and relax a little – then over to The Colorado Reptile and Gator farm in Hooper. You can get discounted tickets at the Pit Stop – the gas station that will be on your way to the Gator farm.
➼If you still have time after the Gator farm you could head to the town of Crestone – just north of hooper – they have shops and a brew pub and are nestled right up against Challenger Peak creating a beautiful backdrop to the down.
➼If you didn’t eat in Crestone – head to camp to grill again, or into Alamosa – San Luis Brewing Company is a great selection for dinner as are many of Alamosa’s other dining establishments.
➼Make sure to get back in time for s’mores, stargazing, and relaxing at camp to complete the day.

Day 3 – Zapata Falls & ATV/Horseback Riding
➼ Enjoy breakfast at camp, then head over to Zapata Falls for a 1 mile hike to a beautiful water fall up a rather rough road to the trail. After seeing the water fall – if you want to hike farther there is a fork in the trail to the water fall (on the left if you are headed back to your car) follow that – and you will find some old mining buildings – you could hike the day away as this trail leads all the way up to Ellingwood Point – one of Colorado’s 14ers (be sure you are qualified to travel to the summit – it’s a class 3 climb). The parking area for Zapata Falls is a great place for a picnic – with beautiful birds eye views of the San Luis Valley.
➼ Option 2 or in addition to Zapata – Schedule a trail ride with Granite Mountain Outfitters and head out on horseback to enjoy the day – then head to Salida for lunch, and a walk along the Arkansas river.
➼ Option 3 – Reserve a Side By Side from Twin Pine Motor Sports or a Jeep from in South Fork. South Fork is 1 hour west from camp – and has lots of awesome 4×4 trails. If you rent a side by side and don’t have a vehicle that can tow a trailer – they have a few places they trailer the equipment to for you. We suggest getting subway sandwiches and bringing lunch to enjoy on the trails. Half day and full day rentals available. Make sure to make reservations well in advance.
➼ Head back to camp after your day of adventures – clean up and head over to The Sand Dunes Swimming Pool or Splash Land. You may need to make reservations – make sure to contact the business well in advance of your trip. At the Sand Dunes Swimming Pool you can choose from the main swimming pool or an adult only hot tub area in a green house. The Sand Dunes Swimming Pool has dining and beverages available on site – so having dinner there is a great option. They also have a golf simulation room available before 5pm (as of 2020). Splash Land is another good option particularly for people with kids – they have water slides in their hot spring pool. If you choose Splash Land it’s near Alamosa – so eating in town is a good option after or before the springs. Check the time for s’mores back at camp to be sure you don’t miss out on dessert.
Day 3
➼ Breakfast and pack up for a 10am departure.

The Itinerary can of course be shortened or lengthened to suite your preference. We have found that guests that stay at least 2 nights enjoy there experience more and have time to see more than just the Sand Dunes. Having a place to come back to shower after the dunes is also a big plus.
Happy Travels!