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| Home > Colorado > North Sand Hills |
North Sand Hills Special Recreation Management Area
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
| Other Names | Sand Dunes, North Sand Dunes, North Sand Hills OHV Area, North Sand Hills SRMA, North Sand Creek, Goverment Creek |
| Last Known Status | Open |
This area offers over 300 acres of sand dunes including miles of surrounding trails that weave through aspen and sagebrush, eventually connecting to the Colorado State Forest. There are no fees and primitive camping is permitted. Whip flags are highly recommended but are not required.
The North Sand Hills campground was installed in 2011 to accommodate large RVs. The campground has 13 individual pull through sites, each with a picnic table, fire ring and tent pad along with two vault toilets.
This is a dune area so we strongly recommend using a Sand Snake or similar for motorcycles, or Sedona Cyclones for ATVs. Failure to use a sand tire can result in unnecessary damage to your engine.
REGULATIONS
| Permit Required | Yes | Colorado OHV Sticker |
| Dates Open | April 15 - December 15 | |
| Other ATV Stickers Accepted | No | Colorado Non-Resident OHV permit required. |
| Spark Arrestor | Yes | A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles. |
| Noise Limit | Yes (96 dB) | (1998/older limit 99 dB, 1998/newer limit 96 dB) |
| Whip Flags | Not Required | Whip Flags Recommended For Safety |
| Maximum Vehicle Width | No Restriction | |
 Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes | Permitted | |
 ATVs | Permitted | |
 UTV & SXS | Permitted | |
 4x4 & Jeeps (registered) | Permitted | |
| Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered) | Permitted | CO OHV Registration or CO issued Non-Resident Permit Required |
| 2 Stroke Engines | No Restriction | |
 Camping | Some Areas | (camp in developed sites only) camping limited to 14 days |
 Campfires | No Restriction | |
| Night Riding | Yes | lighted headlights and taillights required |
| Trail Blazing | Some Areas | open sand area only |
| Alcohol | No Restriction | |
| Rule Enforcement | Few/Periodic | law enforcement on site each weekend and periodically assisted by the County Sheriff's office |
| Comment | OHV License Plates for non-street legal OHV's issued by other states are not valid in Colorado. License plates for street legal vehicles with a regular state license meeting state requirements are valid and do not require an OHV registration. | |
TYPE OF AREA
| Area | Motorized Trails, Off-Road Dunes |
| Land | BLM, State Forest State Park |
FEES & PASSES
| Parking | (None) |
| Entry | (None) |
| Riding | (None) |
| Camping | (None) |
RATINGS
| Pros | free, camp and stage anywhere |
| Cons | no services |
| Our Rating |  Good |
| Recommended Stay | 1-2 Days Summer/Fall |
| Comments | (Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments) |
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
| Nearest City | Cowdrey, CO | ||
| From: Walden, CO
1) Take Hwy 125 North about 10 miles 2) Turn right (east) onto County Road 6, continue about 4 miles 3) Campground and dune entrance is on the right (south). |
OFFICIAL CONTACTS
| Contact Info | BLM - Kremmling Field Office 2103 E. Park Ave Kremmling, CO 80459 (970) 724-3000 blm_co_kr_webmail@blm.gov www.blm.gov |
| Contact Info | Colorado Parks And Wildlife - Registration Unit 13787 South Highway 85 Littleton, CO 80125 (303) 791-1920 dnr.ivrsparks@state.co.us cpw.state.co.us |
| Comment | Colorado OHV Registration Info |
North Sand Hills OHV Area Photo
Photo Submitted 9/26/2012 (Thanks!)
ADD PHOTOS
TERRAIN
| Approx Size | 1,400 acres (2 sq mi) | |
| Miles Of Trail | 10 | |
| Climate Type | Dune/forest | |
| Elevation | 8400 to 8700 ft. | |
| Trail Maintenance | Unknown | |
| Loose Dirt |  Little | |
| Hard Pack | Little | |
| Sand |  All | paddle or sand tire recommended for best experience |
| Mud | Little | |
| Dust | Little | |
| Rocks | Little | |
| Trees |  Some | |
| Steep Hills | Some | |
| Small Jumps | Some | |
| Large Jumps | Some | |
| Sand/Gravel Pits |  None | |
| Roads |  Few | |
| Intersections |  Many | |
| Rider Traffic | Many | |
| Shade | Some | |
| Ranges/Gunfire | Few | |
| Hazards | Some | (hazards assumed marked but use caution) |
 Novice | Some | |
 Amateur |  Mostly | |
 Expert | Little | |
| Comment | rider traffic is moderate to heavy on some weekends, holiday weekends have very high levels of traffic | |
GPS POINTS
KEY SERVICES
 Gasoline | 5-20 Miles (SW) | 11 Miles to town of Walden |
| Diesel | 5-20 Miles (SW) | 11 Miles to town of Walden |
 Water | 5-20 Miles (SW) | 11 Miles to town of Walden |
 RV Hookup | 20-30 Miles (SE) | KOA-North Park (970) 723-4733 |
 RV Disposal | 5-20 Miles (SW) | Hansen Park/Walden |
| Campground | On Site | |
 Conv Store | 5-20 Miles (SW) | 11 Miles to town of Walden |
RIDER COMMENTS & REVIEWS