Situated within the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Big Spring Creek is a remarkable, underground spring-fed steam. It’s federally owned and open to the public to see.
National Natural Landmark in Saguache Co.
The 440 acre national natural landmark was designated in 2012. This a unique natural landmark in the Rockies biophysiographic province. An unconfined, underground aquifer discharges creating a groundwater, which forms the special creek.
Because it’s located in the Great Sand Dunes, the seasonal river flows over an aeolian sand sheet, producing a wonderful wetland landscape. This helps a number of rare plants and species in a high desert basin. The creek moseys along the basin by the dunes, a perfect example of geologic and hydraulic patterns.
Bull elk at Big Spring Creek near Great Sand Dunes. Photo: NPS
Details
Address: near Hooper
County: Sagauche
Designated: 2012
Acres: 440
Ownership: Federal
Website: nps.gov/…
