If ever there’s a summer to road-trip between campsites in national parks, it’s this one. And while parks have seen record visitation in the past year, there’s plenty of space for everyone if you know where to look and plan ahead. We’re here to help on both fronts read on for everything you need to know plan the ultimate NPS camping trip.
1.
Piñon Flats, Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
Colorado s Great Sand Dunes are the tallest in North America, and at Piñon Flats campground you can camp right at their base. Make a morning dash for the top of the 699-foot High Dune to beat the heat and revel in stunning views of the San Juan and Sangre De Cristo Mountains. Post-hike bonus: there are quite a few nearby hot springs, ranging from ultra-rustic to luxury. In warmer months, snowmelt from the mountains forms the shallow, meandering (and cold!) Medano Creek, a welcome place to cool off on a summer day. Don’t forget the inner tubes.
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Despite
park closures and stalled state and national economies during the COVID-19 pandemic, six million people still visited Colorado lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) last year.
Those visitors spent $392 million on things like lodging and recreational activities in âgatewayâ areas near the stateâs NPS lands, according to the agency.
Thatâs down from a peak of $515 million spent in the state by visitors in 2019.
The visitor spending also supported 5,560 jobs last year and added $586 million in economic output to the stateâs economy, according to NPS data.
Rocky Mountain National Park, which was the third most visited national park only behind Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Yellowstone National Park, welcomed 3.3 million visitors last year who spent an estimated $224 million.Â