Great Sand Dunes National Park + Crestone

With my birthday just around the corner, it had me reminiscing about my celebration last year! 

My good friend and I packed up and headed south, our first stop the Great Sand Dunes National Park. I love how unsuspecting the dunes look, it is really hard to take in their mass until you're actually inside the park. Its extraordinary. We spent most of the day wandering around the dunes, trying to not get blown away! After snacking on our proper picnic feast we headed towards our evening accommodations. 

Not too far away from the Dunes we stayed at Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa. I consider myself a hot springs connoisseur of sorts and I looked forward to checking out Joyful Journey after reading a few articles. They have unique accommodations, the hotel with traditional rooms, a variety of teepees and yurts. I'd always wanted to stay in a yurt so we went that route! Our yurt had two twins, perfect for us. We brought dinner and used the communal grill. They also have a communal fridge, which is your option for keeping things cold during your stay. 

We really enjoyed the yurt. The sunset was amazing and the views are nothing short of expansive. The springs themselves are fairly small, a few smaller pools. If its not a busy weekend, its probably great. But with them having a fully booked hotel and allowing anyone in for a day pass, it was crowded. We had a good time, people were social, not exactly a quiet + relaxing experience (if thats what you're after). In the morning they have a typical continental-style buffet for breakfast.  

On our journey back to Denver we stopped in a few of our favorite towns along the way, like Salida. I love that whole area in general including Buena Vista. There is something special about Salida. We had a delicious lunch and poked around antique stores, my kind of day :)