Medano Creek is flowing. The creek that runs alongside the Great Sand Dunes will see peak flows in May. As a result of runoff from the Sangre De Cristo mountains, Medano Creek is another annual Valley spectacle.
Currently, the creek is flowing at just under 7 cfs. Peak flows will vary year to year. According to the National Park’s website, because of the dry winter we had, “Medano Creek is forecast to be about a third of average in depth and duration this year.”
Depending on the kind of moisture the park receives in May, peak flow may occur in mid-May. The park doesn’t expect rapid surge flows strong enough to float on, but does expect the creek to draw large crowds.
Medano Creek has been dubbed “Colorado’s Beach.” Warm weather, water, and sand all come together to create something pretty unique to Colorado as a whole. Body-boarding and floating are as common as sand castles. For a landlocked state, it’s not a bad getaway.
Alamosa Citizen visited the park to observe the creek. As of Wednesday, the creek was less than a mile from the main parking lot and was moving its way there little by little.
The park advises the public that during peak beach season, lines will be long and crowds will be large, so plan a week ahead for a trip to the Great Sand Dunes.
Last year, the park saw 437,661 visitors. The park saw a historic count in 2021 with more than 602,000 visitors.
