For those who have always wanted to see the Sahara Desert but can’t quite make the trip to Africa just yet, America has its own stunning sand dunes to visit that will leave travelers feeling inspired and adventurous. With plenty of activities to experience at these parks--from scenic hiking to driving dune buggies--there is much to explore and enjoy in these incredible wonders of nature. Below are the best spots to visit the sand dunes in North America, with each park offering its own unique views and wild environment to explore.

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The Sand Dunes Of The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest conjures up images of rainy forests and coffee shops, so many visitors will be surprised to discover that Oregon offers miles of stunning, ever-changing windswept sand dunes. The famous Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area stretches on for over 40 miles. Featuring hills that reach over 500 feet in height, this park is an adventurer's delight. It even inspired Frank Herbert’s science-fiction tome “Dune”. There are plenty of local options for visitors to rent dune buggies from, and there is no thrill quite like driving up a steep sand dune--except, of course, the thrill of driving down the other side!

The Highest Dunes In North America

For adventurers that are craving height, travel to the Great Sand Dunes of Southern Colorado. Filled with endless rolling hills of sand, this national park features the tallest dunes in all of North America. The so-called Star Dune rises up over 750 feet, which gives hikers and photographers plenty to appreciate. This location is famous for providing stunning vistas of sand dunes set amongst a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. For those looking to cool off from the heat in all that endless stretch of sand, visitors can opt to wade their feet in the Medano Creek, a shallow creek that flows through the sand dunes and experiences small waves that are caused by snowmelt.

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Come For The Sand Dunes, Stay For The Stargazing

For those who enjoy hiking sand dunes and want to combine that with their love of stargazing, the Bruneau Dunes State Park in Idaho is a wonderful option. Featuring the tallest single-structure sand dune in North America, with a peak of 470 feet, this park offers lake and marsh habitats to explore, in addition to the desert and dunes. There are no vehicles allowed on the dunes here, but visitors are welcome to rent sandboards from the local visitor center and try to balance their way sliding down the long dunes. Of course, one of the best features of this park is not on the ground, but rather in the sky, for Bruneau Dunes State Park is one of the country's best locations for stargazing. With an observatory to view the night sky, this park's remote location makes it perfect for viewing constellations like the Orion and the Big Dipper.

Visitors are urged to get there early for stargazing as seating is first come first served and limited to 80 people. According to the park's website:

• The Bruneau Dunes Observatory will be open to the public beginning Friday, April 15th. Please read the ENTIRE announcement for details. SEATING AND VIEWING ARE LIMITED TO 80 PEOPLE IN TOTAL. TICKETS ARE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED. We will be offering programs on Friday and Saturday nights through the summer season. Tickets will go on sale at 9 p.m. at the Steele-Reese Education Center (times will change through the season based on sunset). The program will start at 9:30 PM for the indoor presentation with telescope viewing to follow. There are no advanced reservations or ticket sales. We can only accept CASH OR CHECK at this time. WE CAN NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.

Move Along With These Constantly Shifting Dunes

Located in the adventurer's paradise of Utah, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park offers pretty-in-pink sands and a backdrop of red sandstone cliffs. The force of the winds here shifts the sand dunes by as much as 50 feet per year, so for explorers who plan to visit this park more than once, no two sand dunes will ever look the same in photos. Visitors can rent a sandboard from the visitors center here but are encouraged to do so in the morning, as quantities are limited.

Whether adventurers are looking to surf the sand, drive a dune buggy for a thrilling ride, or want to simply lay in the sand and gaze up at the sky, North America offers plenty of incredibly picturesque sand dunes that are worth all the windswept effort to explore.