Great Sand Dunes Oasis

This campground is basically a large gravel and crushed stone parking area with sites along one edge. Each site is edged with a timber fence and has full hookups, a picnic table, and grille. Sites are small but adequate. Each one has a tree to the rear of the site. The interior roads are gravel and crushed stone and wide enough to navigate in any size rig. There is a playground for the kids. Management is nice, checkin was efficient, the park and buildings are well maintained, and there is a great view of the dunes and mountains. It’s only about 5 minutes to the entry to the national park. There is a convenience store and restaurant on site. There are no other grocery stores or restaurants nearby, so stock up before you come. Our only complaint is that the wind seemed to be constant during our stay, which kicked up a lot of dust from the gravel lot and roads. The experience could have been improved if the lot and roads were watered and/or treated to reduce the dust. Still, if we were to return to Great Sand Dunes NP, we’d stay here for the convenience of it’s proximity to the NP.

Located in the high plains on the side of a mountain with a panoramic view of the sand dunes with mountains. Small park with everyone in a row. At the entrance of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We camped at Great Sand Dunes Oasis RV Park in a Motorhome.

Oasis restaurant is good for to-go food. The rent boards for sandboarding. Waterfall hike a few miles away. Altitude is over 8,000 so there is a steep road coming from the east to get to the park.

When we first drove up I was a bit apprehensive as it is a dusty treeless property with a gravelly rutted road leading uphill to the campsites. Of all the places we visited this summer, this place was the most strict about masking & social distancing (probably a good point). HOWEVER- we quickly found out the staff behind the plexiglass is very friendly & efficient! I don’t know how we got so lucky but we were given the best RV site they have- on the northwest end with a totally unobstructed & breath-taking view of the Dunes! Truly amazing. I don’t think all the sites have such a view. And if you are so fortunate to be there on a clear night with a new moon- oh my THE STARS!!!!!! Unbelievable! The restrooms/ showers are clean & nice. You can buy breakfast down in the office/ store area but we enjoyed ice cream after a long day in the dunes & mountain hiking trails. The only reason this gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because the RV sites are extremely close together & you could hear and see everything going on at the other campsites. But the proximity to the Great Sand Dunes makes it worth any imperfection of this campground.

Arrival - super easy with reservations made ahead of time. Please be aware of their "No Mask, No Service" policy when doing anything at check-in, equipment rental, the store, or the restaurant.

Tips - Make sure you review a satellite image of the full-hookup RV area and don't make the mistake of reserving a site that obstructs the view of the Sand Dunes or the sunsets. If you have sand/snow sleds from home, bring them with some wax. Have sufficient clothing to dress for the change of temperatures, super nice and warm/hot during the day and very cool at night.

Favorites - Central location near Great Sand Dunes, Zapata Falls, and San Luis Wildlife area (by the way, the lake is almost dry).

Negatives - Sites are right on top of one another, lots of traffic from tent and cabin campers coming down to the bathhouse, dusty, speed limit is not adhered to (scary if you have small children). No laundry (apparently closed a few years back). Grocery, laundry, and fuel located in Alamosa, CO ~ 25 miles from the campground. Campers coming in and out of the area at all hours of the night. Wouldn't be so bad if you weren't so close together.

We made a last-minute decision to head to Great Sand Dunes National Park and headed toward The Oasis despite some previous Campendium reviews. We are so glad we did!

Arriving after 5:00 p.m., we found the office staff to be very friendly and accommodating. They gave us the last available RV spot, which was great because it was on the end of the line closest to the entrance so we didn't feel boxed in by the larger RVs that were already there. RV sites have full hookups and most have phenomenal views of the miles and miles of wildflower fields and the great sand dunes.

The road up to the campground from the main parking lot is a bit rough, but shouldn't be a problem for any vehicle. Just take it slow.

Our evening was quiet and peaceful, cell service was more than adequate, and the fact that The Oasis is just 5 minutes from the park entrance makes the $38+tax camping fee well worth it!

Great, minimalist RV park with only 20 spots. Bathroom is clean and has all you need. Store has a few of the essentials needed and rents out sand sleds and sand boards, which make visiting the dunes with kids much more fun. Store opens at 8am and there will be a line for the sleds and boards. $20 a board.
Spots in the lower numbers (1-3) and higher (17-20) are the best for views of the dunes. Each spot comes with a picnic table and fire ring. Quick 5 min drive to sand dunes.
Other reviews mention uneven spots but we didn’t experience that with our RV. Those with travel trailers were using leveling blocks.