ALAMOSA, Colo. — Great Sand Dunes National Park is asking for public input on proposed changes intended to deal with the growing number of visitors there.
Before 2015, the park said it saw between 200,000 and 300,000 people per year. Now, that number is close to 600,000 people.
Parking lots are filling up quickly as a result, causing people to park on the side of the road. There are also long lines at the entrance station.
The park is considering making a few changes to fix those issues, like expanding the parking lot and adding more lanes at the entrance.
Great Sand Dunes Superintendent Andrea Compton said she wants to hear what the public has to say about it.
"We are just a few people trying to figure this out," Compton said. "But there's a much bigger audience that enjoys the Great Sand Dunes, enjoys coming to the park and to this place. And we want to hear from people. We want that input. You know, there may be things people are experiencing, that we're not even aware of. That's why we need to hear it."
The public comment period for these changes ends on March 29.
Anyone interested in sharing their thoughts can do so on the National Park Service park planning website.
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