Sand Dunes Visitor Tips and Packing List with Recommended Products
Essentials
Dehydration and heat exhaustion can ruin your day and your trip. These items will prevent those problems and make you more comfortable. Plan for 2 liters of water per person per day.
Also, please take the note about closed-toed shoes very seriously. Scorpions and other dangers lurk just below the surface of the sand, and barefoot outings have ruined many vacations and camping trips.
- Water Bottle: Nalgene 48oz Wide Mouth
- Electrolytes: LMNT Electrolyte Packets
- Sunscreen: Neutrogena Sport Face SPF 70
- Lip Balm with SPF: Jack Black Lip Balm SPF 25
- Sun Hat: Columbia Bora Bora Booney Hat
- Sunglasses: Polarized Sunglasses (recommend curved glasses that give side protection)
- Breathable Clothing: Columbia PFG Shirt (recommended UPF 50 protection)
- Closed-Toe Shoes: Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator
- Sand Gaiters: Outdoor Research Gaiters
Adventure Gear
Are you the kind of person who wants to hike to a special spot? Do some sandboarding? Perhaps look for hard-to-find vegetation or wildlife? These are items we have vetted and can recommend for your sand based adventure.
- Sandboard or Sled: Wavos Premium Sandboard
- Hiking Poles: Black Diamond Trail Poles
- Hydration Backpack: CamelBak Hydration Pack
- Binoculars: Nikon Trailblazer Binoculars
- Compass: Suunto Compass
- Area Map: National Geographic Trail Maps or for a digital option the Garmin eTrex or the Garmin Montana for the true adventurer.
Photography / Observation
- Camera with Dust Protection: Olympus Tough TG-6
- Lens Cleaning Kit: Altura Photo Cleaning Kit
- Compact Tripod: Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod
- Protective Phone Case: Sportlink Waterproof / Dustproof Case
Optional but Helpful
If you are the kind of person who likes being prepared you should just consider this list required.
- Face Covering / Buff: Buff UV Headwear
- Microfiber Towel: Rainleaf Microfiber Towel
- Dry Bags / Ziplocks: Earth Pak Dry Bags
- Cooling Towel: Mission Cooling Towel
- Bug Spray: Sawyer Picaridin
- First Aid Kit: Mountain Man Medical Wind River Kit
- Emergency Radio: Baofeng UV-5R Radio (no license required in emergencies)
Recommended Mobile Apps
- The National Park Service: Interactive maps, park tours, amenities, and offline resources.
- Gaia GPS (iOS / Android): Offline maps for hiking and overlanding. Great for remote dune areas with limited service. Alternatives include CalTopo, Hiking Project, and Garmin Explore.
- Windfinder: Check wind speed and direction—essential for dune trips where blowing sand can be a safety factor.
- AccuWeather or The Weather Channel: Reliable forecasts with alerts for heat or storms.
- Dark Sky (via Apple Weather): Precise short-term forecasts. Helpful for timing your hikes or sunset viewing.
- PeakVisor: Identify distant mountains or ridgelines on the horizon. Fun for expansive dune views.
- Sky Guide or Stellarium: Stargazing apps—sand dunes are ideal for dark sky viewing.
- Range Medicine Course (FREE): Not an app exactly but a no-cost online course to prepare you for emergencies and trauma care.
Overnight Camping Gear
In addition to the standard camping gear here are some suggestions that can be even more critical when camping in sand dunes.
Tents should be low-profile with aerodynamic tend designs (dome style) to reduce risk of collapse or lift in high wind.
- Sand-Compatible Tent Stakes: Sand Tent Stakes
- Ground Sheet/Tarp: AquaQuest Camping Tarp keeps gear off hot or abrasive sand
- Sleeping Pad: Therm-a-Rest Sleeping Pad sand gets very cold at night
- Headlamp: Black Diamond Headlamp
- Backpacking Stove: Jetboil Flash Stove the enclosed burner prevents loose sand from clogging the burner
- Sand brush: OXO Good Grips Mini Sweep Set for cleaning gear and your feet before entering the tent.
Vehicle Prep (If Going Off-Road)
- Shovel: Folding Camp Shovel
- Traction Boards: Maxtrax Traction Boards
- Air Compressor: Viair 88P Air Compressor
- Tire Pressure Gauge: JACO Tire Pressure Gauge
- Gas Can (full): RotopaX Gas Can
- Vehicle Emergency Kit: Roadside Emergency Kit