Medano Creek

A magical thing can happen at the sand dunes in late May or early June. For starters, there can be enough snowmelt flowing inmedano Creek, which runs out of the Sangres onto the flats in front of the dunes, for kids to float the creek on tubes. At peak runoff, the flow builds up a ridge of sand, and when the water breaks through a barrier of the ridge all at once, waves ripple down the creek. The “surge flow” only happens at this time of the year, but a trickle of the creek will likely be there later in the summer, too, when warmer temperatures will send you looking for a way to cool your feet after a hike up a dune.

Camp

Piñon Flats Campground, inside the national park, is one of the more spectacular places to pitch a tent in a statewith plenty of places vying for that title. The proximity to the dunes and the views of the Sangre de Cristo rangemake it a popular spot, though. One loop is first-come, first-served. The other is reservable through the summer, and reservations are recommended. If you try for the first-come option, arrive early— the park warns that those sites can be full by late-morning in peak season, whenmedano Creek is flowing early in the summer.

$20 per night, reserve at 877444-6777 or recreation. gov The “jewel” atop Crestone’s Tashi Gomang Stupa represents enlightenment.

Jenn Fields, The Denver Post Crestone Brewing Co. brewmaster Greg Foley carries a tray of beers at the brew pub, which serves ales, lagers, handmade sodas and locally sourced fare.

Joe Amon, The Denver Post

IN CRESTONE Get your bearings

On the way into town, stop at the kiosk where County Road T splits: to the left is Birch Street, which heads into Crestone proper, and to the right is Camino Baca Grande, which heads into

the Baca Grande subdivision and on to Crestone’s spiritual centers, many of which are along this road and Dreamway, which branches off from Camino Baca Grande and ends at the “big stupa.” The giant map at the kiosk is helpful for acclimation— it’s quite detailed and includes Cres-

tone’s spiritual communities and structures (both stupas and the ziggurat, for example).

You can also pick up a smaller photocopied map at Elephant Cloudmarket. (Stay left at the road to go into Crestone, 200 Cottonwood St., 719-496-0966, elephantcloudmarket.com, open 8 a.m.-8 p.m.) This is also the place to grab your organic kale for your Airbnb, or anything else you need that an organic-foods market provides.

If Safeway is more your style, Crestone Mercantile (182 E. Galena Ave., 719-256-5885, open 8 a.m.-8 p.m.) is your store.

Both markets sell a handful of books with local ties. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Crestone resident Jamesmccalpin’s “Crestone: Gateway to Higher Realms.” The ultimate guide to Crestone is as quirky as the town itself. The book includes a thorough examination of hiking and climbing routes up the fourteeners of the Crestone Group (including color topo maps) and explanations of the area’s geology — one section is titled “The Cres-