Mosca in Alamosa County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Dimensions
Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 15, 1993
1. Dimensions Marker
Inscription.
Dimensions. Great Sand Dunes National Monument. , The scale of the Great Sand Dunes can be difficult to judge. The dunes you see from here are only the front lines of a sea of dunes that covers many square miles.
How far do the dunes extend into the distance? The dunes are 8 miles (13km) across. It would take a strong hiker 5 hours to cross them.
How high is the tallest dune? The highest dune rises nearly 700 feet (200m) –taller than a 50 story building.
How much sand is in the dunes? If all the sand was loaded into railroad cars, the train would be long enough to circle the globe more than 20 times. If the sand were spread out ankle-deep it would cover 1/10 of Colorado.
How large are the Sand Grains? The grains that make up the dunes are tiny, about 1mm in diameter, but most measure between 1/8 and 1/4 mm. Smaller particles blow away over the mountains.
The scale of the Great Sand Dunes can be difficult to judge. The dunes you see from here are only the front lines of a sea of dunes that covers many square miles.
How far do the dunes extend into the distance? The dunes are 8 miles (13km) across. It would take a strong hiker 5 hours to cross them.
How high is the tallest dune? The highest dune rises nearly 700 feet (200m) –taller than a 50 story building.
How much sand is in the dunes? If all the sand was loaded into railroad cars, the train would be long enough to circle the globe more than 20 times. If the sand were spread out ankle-deep it would cover 1/10 of Colorado.
How large are the Sand Grains? The grains that make up the dunes are tiny, about 1mm in diameter, but most measure between 1/8 and 1/4 mm. Smaller particles blow away over the mountains.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.
Location. 37° 44.336′ N, 105° 31.025′ W. Marker is in Mosca, Colorado, in Alamosa County. Marker is on State Highway 150. The marker is near the Great Dunes National Monument parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mosca CO 81146, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 11, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 235 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 25, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?