May is Beach Time at the Great Sand Dunes!
Taken from our newsletter sent Tuesday, April 23, 2024 • Subscribe at the bottom of this post so you don’t miss future issues!
Sand Castles and Waves await you in the San Louis Valley
Don't forget your towel...
As if exploring the Great Sand Dunes, hiking in the mountains, and soaking in hot springs isn't enough reason to book your stay at Crestone Lodging, during the month of May you get an added extra: Beach Time! Read on to learn about Medano Creek, one of our favorite seasonal experiences afforded by the uniquely Colorado convergence of snowy mountains and sandy dunes.
Whether you're playing in the water with your kids, communing with nature on your own, or creating memories with your friends, Crestone Lodging is ready to give you the perfect home from which to do it all. We have a wide variety of vacation rentals for individuals, couples, families and even large groups.
If you're planning on staying a while, we are now leasing Grain Bin Homes for only $850 a month! Text or call us at (719) 480-1867 for more information.
Book now, or read below about experiences that can’t be found anywhere else.
Medano Creek
April is the second snowiest month in the Great Sand Dunes region, creating additional snowpack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains just a couple of months before summer starts. As late April and May begin to warm the mountains, the snowpack starts to melt and creates Medano Creek, a seasonal natural phenomenon unlike any elsewhere in the world.
Médano means "sand dune" in Spanish, and this creek flowing into and through the majestic Great Sand Dunes grows from a few inches deep at its start in April, and meanders down to an inch or two by the second week of June. The period in between is where we in Crestone get our own water park with a wave pool, water slide and sandy beaches!
At its peak in late May and into the first week of June, the creek experiences "surge flow." Twenty-inch waves pulse along the flow of the creek, strong and big enough that children float along them on inflatable pool toys, adults skim board, and the normally dry sand is perfect for building sand castles. Any non-motorized and non-mechanized water activity is allowed. The weather hovers between 60-70 degrees, and mosquitos are few and far between before they come out for the summer starting in mid-June. Medano Creek water levels keep dwindling and by late summer it disappears completely.
This is the perfect season to stay with us at Crestone Lodging. The weather is moderate, the experience is anything but! This is a particularly family-friendly activity, so we provide a couple of our perfect lodging solutions further on.
Available activities: Water sports & games (non-motorized and non-mechanized), Camping (limited campground), Dog Friendly (on leash), Hiking, Nature Viewing
Hot Springs
If you've brought the family to experience Medano Creek, the perfect place to warm up after your brisk water play with the surge flow is at the Sand Dunes Pool. Act like a local and call it Hooper Pool! This year-round, family-friendly pool is fed by hot springs through an artisan well drilled in the 1930's. The water is maintained at a lovely 98-100 degrees, but if you prefer a warmer soak hang in the 25-person therapy pool at 106 degrees. There's a diving board, picnic areas, and a poolside cafe that offers food utilizing tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil grown at the on-site greenhouse!
If you've some to Crestone for a more spiritual, healing time, we recommend Joyful Journey Hot Springs. Well supervised children are allowed, but as a place primarily for rest and introspection, a calming atmosphere is meticulously maintained.
Valley View Hot Springs is all-ages, but it is clothing-optional, so be prepared if you bring the kiddos! At this location you might even get to see the Mexican Free-tail Bats as they migrate to the historic Orient Mine on the western slope!
Pinewood Family Retreat House
The Pinewood Family Retreat House is the ideal lodging for your family. With 3 bedrooms (master with King and adjoining bathrrom and two queen rooms with a shared bathroom), there is plenty of space for your family to comfortably sleep. It's features a spacious kitchen with a bar for entertaining, dining areas both in and out doors, and all the cooking amenities you'll need for either area.
Pinewood's open floor plan allows for everyone to be together to build memories and enjoy each others' company. To help that along, it boasts a game room with a pool table, darts, a projector for karaoke and movies, giant Jenga and more!
A washer/dryer, private parking just a short drive from downtown and free wi-fi will make this your favorite place to host family and friends in Crestone.
Crestone Casitas
Traveling with family or friends and need just a bit more privacy than a shared living space? Crestone Casitas is the place for you!
This boutique hotel hosts three casitas, each a private luxury suite with full kitchen and dining area, a small living area with fireplace, two private entrances, and a private patio overlooking beautiful shared gardens on the property's 40 acre space. There is also a shared outdoor kitchen with a bar and dining area, making this the perfect rental to share your vacation with friends and family, but still have privacy and time to yourself for peace and reflection.
The property is gated and fenced for privacy, but is still just a several minute drive, or even short walk, from downtown Crestone.
White Lotus House
For those traveling with a large group of family and/or friends and looking for the ultimate mix of both privacy and together time, we'd love to introduce you to White Lotus House.
This rental includes a house with two private bedrooms, and a studio space housed in a separate building with two additional private bedrooms. There are three and a half bathrooms between the two buildings, and the property sleeps up to eight comfortably.
This pet-friendly rental is surrounded by forest and wildlife, allowing for solitude and enjoyment of vast night skies that you won't see in the city or suburbs. The large concrete patio with BBQ has multiple seating areas so spread out for communing and conversation!
Find the Perfect End to a Perfect Day at Vacation Rentals Crestone
After a day of building sand castles, hiking, or a night of camping, come back to peace and relaxation (and plumbing and electricity!) at one of our ideally located homes. Our accommodations are tailored to give you the comfort and amenities needed to ponder the wonder of the wilderness and wildlife of the San Luis Valley, and the adventures you’ll create with family and friends.