A Stunning Oasis

Nestled at the foot of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve captivates visitors with vast, undulating dunes that shimmer with an ethereal beauty. Zapata Ranch, part of the vast San Louis Valley, was founded first by early settlers, who used straw bale house construction methods to adapt to these wild lands. Today you can visit the dunes, the valley, and modern straw bale houses.

Learn more about the history and ways of life of this National Monument.

A mountain range with snow-capped peaks behind sand dunes under a clear blue sky.
Diagram of a small house showing insulation layers, including 3-foot thick straw, stucco surface, and embedded windows.
A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a plaid coat, and gloves stands next to a white horse with a saddle, in an open desert landscape with a fence and hills in the background.
A multi-story adobe house with two balconies, surrounded by views of Mount Blanca and the Great Sand Dunes