MOSCA — National Parks across the country celebrate National Park Week each year in April with special programs, events, social media themes, and fee-free day(s). Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, along with 422 other park units, will celebrate National Park Week from Saturday, April 17, through Sunday, April 25, 2021.

To kick off the week’s celebrations, national park units will waive entrance fees on Saturday, April 17, 2021. With no entrance fee being charged on Saturday, April 17, it is the perfect time to experience Great Sand Dunes in a fun and exciting way. Enjoy a picnic at the Mosca Creek picnic area, pick up a Junior Ranger activity book and badge or patch at the visitor center, attend a free ranger program, hike one of the many trails in the park and preserve, or rent a sand sled or sand board. Stop by the visitor center from 9a.m. to 12p.m. and 1p.m. to 4:30p.m. to pick up park information and shop in the Western National Parks Association (WNPA) park store. The WNPA park store will offer 15% discount on most store items on opening day, April 17.

Great Sand Dunes will offer free ranger programming at Great Sand Dunes and in Alamosa, the park’s gateway community, throughout the week. Rangers will also staff information tables at the Great Sand Dunes visitor center to share fun facts about the National Park Service and Great Sand Dunes. Visitors can stop by the information tables at the visitor center on Saturday, April 17 from 2-3p.m., Sunday, April 18 from 11a.m.-12p.m., Saturday, April 24 from 12-2p.m., and Sunday, April 25 from 1-2p.m. Information tables don’t require pre-registration. Advance registration is required for formal ranger programming and guided hikes offered Saturday, April 17 through Saturday, April 24th by calling the visitor center during operating hours and talking with a park ranger. Visitors are encouraged to sign up early as space is limited. For a full list of programs, visit www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/calendar.htm

The National Park Service has also planned a variety of special theme days on social media for visitors to virtually participate in the celebration and share their national park experiences and memories. To see a full list of these themes, visit www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.htm. Visitors are also encouraged to use the official National Park Week hashtags, #NationalParkWeek, #FindYourPark or #EncuentraTuParque when sharing on social media and follow Great Sand Dunes on Facebook and Instagram.

Alamosa will continue their month-long Great Sand Dunes Appreciation in April by promoting and supporting National Park Week. Visit Alamosa launched the campaign, “We Love Our National Park”, with a celebration on April 3 to show appreciation and promote their national park. Posters and flags are displayed downtown and Visit Alamosa will continue to offer digital promotions and stickers for visitors to Alamosa during the entire month of April 2021. Stop by the Alamosa Welcome Center to learn more about Visit Alamosa’s “We Love our National Park” Campaign and how you can join in the celebration.

To learn more about lodging, camping, and other things to do during your visit to Great Sand Dunes, visit www.nps.gov/grsa. Visitors can purchase digital park entrance passes on recreation.gov at no additional cost or purchase their entrance pass at the Colorado Welcome Center in Alamosa, CO using cash, check, or credit card. For more information about Medano creek conditions, Medano Pass Primitive Road conditions, visitor center hours, and other park news, visit www.nps.gov/grsa.