GREAT SAND DUNES ENGAGEMENT SESSION | THE GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK | COLORADO ENGAGEMENT SESSION | NATIONAL PARK ENGAGEMENT
I met up with Terese and Alex in the early morning to photograph their engagement session at the dunes. It was their first time visiting the national park and the water was still flowing even though the days were hot and drying it all up. It’s such a magical place no matter how many times you go. Every time I come to the dunes, I always talk up sunrise, because there’s little to no people. Besides the ones that camp out in sleeping bags in the sand waiting for the sunrise and it’s always nice and cool (which is great for dogs) and the sunrise comes over the mountains and warms your face.
We spent some time in the morning hiking around the dunes. Running down them…which is NOT soft if you’re wondering. Playing with the sand, tackling one another and making sand angels. It’s basically a big playground for everyone. I’m a little jealous I don’t get to come along for Alex + Terese’s destination wedding in Hawaii, but I sure am lucky to have photographed them here.
SIDE STORY: You’re not supposed to camp out in national parks unless you’re hiking and have a permit. We decided the day before to head out early, bring our black lab, hike around and find a spot outside of the park to camp in the back of our pathfinder. We hiked and it started to get late, so we made our way back to eat dinner and make our way out of the park. The sunset and breeze was just so beautiful that we decided to risk it and stay. We saw a few cars with nobody in them and figured ‘what the hell’. By the time we managed to get comfortable and fall asleep, a saw a truck with it’s light on coming toward our car, Benny goes NUTS and next thing you know we have the spotlights of three trucks on us. Rangers come up to our car and my husband gets out in his underwear, because it’s blinding and overwhelming. They let us crash for a few more hours before I had to meet these guys, but take it from me folks. DON’T RISK IT! Because you will be approached by rangers like you’re drug smugglers in your underwear.
