Erica's Visit Part II - Bruneau Dunes

Yesterday all ten of us (eleven if you count our dog) drove out to Bruneau Dunes State Park. For those of you who have never been there before, it really is a site to behold. Here is a description of the dunes taken from the information pamphlet we collected:

The Bruneau Dunes are unique in the Western Hemisphere in their formation, and stand in vivid contrast to the surrounding plateaus. Other sand dunes in the Americas form at the edge of a natural basin; these form near the center. The two prominent dunes cover about 600 acres. They include the largest single structured sand dune in North America, whose peak is 470 feet above the surrounding desert floor. 

The combination of a source of sand, a relatively constant wind activity, and a natural trap have caused sand to collect in the park's semicircular basin, called Eagle Cove, for about 15,000 years. Unlike many sand dunes, these do no drift. Two prevailing winds keep the dunes stable, one blowing from the southeast and one from the northwest. 

There is also a seasonal observatory in the park that opens next week.

The biggest attraction to the park is sledding down the dunes. Here are some photos of us doing just that. 

Jake showing off his rock skipping talent.

Hanging out on the dunes. When we first arrived the sand was nice and warm, but then the wind picked up and it got cold. We got sand in every crevice of our clothes and body and hair. It was so worth it. 

Sledding down the dunes isn't as easy as it looks. The sand isn't as slick as snow so it's hard to get going and once you do, it's a slow ride to the bottom. 

North of the dunes.