Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Bebop Reviews Sand Dunes National Park

We are on vacation again in our Bebopabago camper van. It's been really nice and cool, which I really like. Today, my parents told me that I get to hike with them on some Great Sand Dunes. It sounded like an oversized cat litter box, but they seemed enthusiastic, so I went along. Also, very few national parks let dogs hike, so I wanted to take advantage of their hospitality here.

Great Sand Dunes
Right away we crossed a little flowing creek and I wanted to run and splash in the soft sand and nice water. I grabbed a stick and started running wild. Dad encouraged me to get a drink of water, which I did. Good thing, because we climbed a lot of tall sand - over 700 feet high! Also, I took a big poop on the sand (photo not available), My parents picked it up and disposed of it properly.

Frolicking near Medano Creek
It was very nice with an air temperature in the 60's and bright sunshine. The sand was cool from some rain the night before. Some parts were steep, and we had to stop and catch our breath a few times. We are over 7,500 feet in elevation, so the air is a little thin. I drank all the water dad offered me on the way up.

Climbing up the sand
I also met some other dogs, which was fun. They were all nice. Many people asked if they could pet me, and I'm glad that I could make them smile. We finally got to the top and sat down to enjoy the views. We watched some people sledding and riding boards down the hill. Some did well and others crashed.

Resting at the top of the high dune
When we came down, I got to run in the water again. Then, I was glad to get back to the van for a nice nap. Next, we hiked a nature trail. It was short and shady - and loaded with nature.

Nature trail with sand and mountains
We drove down to our nearby campsite at Zapata Falls. In the afternoon, we hiked to the falls, which meant hiking in an ice-cold creek. It was shocking at first, but very refreshing. It was deep in places and the current was very swift, but even my hooomans were agile enough to make it all the way to the falls. We came out of the water to see a thunderstorm approaching, so we scurried back to our camper and opened the door right as the wind picked up, and the rain began falling.
Our campsite, and Zapata Falls (ice water!)

Dad's data logging watch said we hiked 15,108 steps (about 7 miles) and climbed about 1,000 feet.  I'm going to take a big nap now.

- Bebop

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