Great Sand Dunes National Park - Medano Pass Primitive road - stock '23 GX460

[scuzz]

I'm looking to take a trip up to Colorado in mid to late May and was wondering if anyone has done this in a bone-stock 460? I plan on swapping the 19's out for something with a (slightly) larger sidewall, 18's. I have a sport edition and will likely be taking off the chin spoiler before the park road does it for me.

That being said, any other helpful advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for other interesting places to explore in the state as well. Thanks in advance for your time, everyone!

 

[Tennessee80]

Hey @scuzz ,

Several of us from TN and AL went out and did the Alpine loop and some surrounding areas in 2021, and we started at Great Sand Dunes/Medano Pass.

Medano is a nice trail and certainly not difficult. We did that and then went up to Crested Butte area, and then on to Silverton/Ouray and all of those glorious trails that most of us only dream about.

Good luck, man! Let me know if you want me to grab the exact route we did from Medano pass.

cheers,

Joel

 

[Tennessee80]

Our group had no GX460 rigs, only 60, 80, 200 series and Tundra trucks

 

[on the rocks]

I'm looking to take a trip up to Colorado in mid to late May and was wondering if anyone has done this in a bone-stock 460? I plan on swapping the 19's out for something with a (slightly) larger sidewall, 18's. I have a sport edition and will likely be taking off the chin spoiler before the park road does it for me.

That being said, any other helpful advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for other interesting places to explore in the state as well. Thanks in advance for your time, everyone!

I have only done the pass in the 80 and my KTM, the pass is pretty mellow. I would be more concerned about the time of year but that bumper and running boards look pretty low. While not many rocky areas, there are alot of drop in's into stream crossings and sandy areas. Apparently the creek waterflow may be more of an issue as well. I have seen 4 runners on it late summer.

I don't know the elevation but most forest roads are closed until after memorial day. Down south may be a little earlier. Average snowpack this year is 140% making it worse. Your more likely to hit a closed gate than ripping off your running boards. No way you'll get the alpine loop in that early. Most good high passes/ forest roads here wont open until July/ August if at all this year. There may be a county road or two open in the area but I doubt you would make it on any passes.

May is the end of mud season, plan on lower elevations, more western slope areas or even west towards Moab. There are a few forest service maps online with road closure info but your best bet is to look at each area and check road conditions or just call.
that pass is partially governed by the national park service so hard to tell.

Medano Pass Primitive Road - Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

Tons of hiking near Westcliff if your into that and it's a cool little town to visit. Outside that, it isn't one of my favorite areas and everything worth seeing is north and west of the dunes area. The Alamosa area is a s*&t hole and so is most the area south of there.

 

[subzali]

Depending on snow, Medano might not be open all the way through at that time of year. If that were my vehicle I would only go up medano pass road from the sand dunes side, and only to mile 6 or so. Above that it gets more narrow and rocky. You will get pin stripes if you go up much higher. You have a lot of low hanging plastic to get hung up on rocks too.

 

[subzali]

Watch the bushducks website for Colorado pass information too. You can go back in history to see opening dates for years past.

 

[Rednexus]

Side question - we have an Ouray trip planned the last week of June. Anyone think that Engineer, Cinnamon, and Imogene will be open? We went in 2021 and it was dry, dry, dry. Glad CO got some snow but hoping we can wheel!

 

[pdavis49]

I agree with @subzali I have seen similar plastic bits left behind at the water crossings at Medano. @Rednexus I would be surprised if any of those were open before July 4th this year do to snowpack.

 

[Rednexus]

I agree with @subzali I have seen similar plastic bits left behind at the water crossings at Medano. @Rednexus I would be surprised if any of those were open before July 4th this year do to snowpack.

Thanks, that what we were figuring. We'll just do as much as we can or hike more instead.

 

[DickM]

San Juan mountains snow pack currently 166% of normal.

 

[Rednexus]

San Juan mountains snow pack currently 166% of normal.

Mrs. Rednexus and myself chatted over this some more. We decided to cancel our CO trip and are going to the Utah instead. Hitting those high passes was going to be a highlight for us, and we weren't really able to change the dates for our trip. Looking forward to Utah and will put the CO trip off for a few more years. We last went in 2021 (just did Ophir pass) so the last trip is still pretty fresh. Still super-glad you guys have some more water out there and hope rivers/lakes/etc will recover.

 

[scuzz]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies! It looks like if I'm going "soft roading" I should look to Arizona/Utah as options for trip.

 

[scuzz]

Mrs. Rednexus and myself chatted over this some more. We decided to cancel our CO trip and are going to the Utah instead. Hitting those high passes was going to be a highlight for us, and we weren't really able to change the dates for our trip. Looking forward to Utah and will put the CO trip off for a few more years. We last went in 2021 (just did Ophir pass) so the last trip is still pretty fresh. Still super-glad you guys have some more water out there and hope rivers/lakes/etc will recover.

Same here! Such a helpful group!

 

[Rednexus]

Same here! Such a helpful group!

Great group for sure! Glad you made this post and folks responded. Otherwise, we might not have realized until it was too late to change our reservations to Utah. We were definitely used to the dry conditions in CO with passes being open in June.