Colorado is home to one of the best beaches in the US

Morgan Whitley
·2 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Yes, you read that right. A Colorado beach was named one of the best in the nation because even though the state is landlocked, you don’t need the ocean to have a beach.

First, let’s look at what defines a beach. According to Merriam-Webster, a beach is a “shore of a body of water covered by sand, gravel, or larger rock fragments.” Per National Geographic, that body of water can be an ocean, lake or river.

While most think of beaches as land along an ocean, a local spot is considered a beach because it runs along a river.

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Travel and Leisure released a list of 25 beaches they deemed the best in the U.S. While several locations were in California and Hawaii, one Colorado spot made the list.

Creek in southern Colorado named one of the best beaches

Medano Creek in Great Sand Dunes National Park was named alongside several popular beaches as one of the best in the U.S.

Your first thought might be that the creek is not a beach, but by definition it is.

The shallow river usually appears in early spring and disappears in August. The river is a body of water covered by sand, offering a much-needed cooldown to visitors who brave the hot dunes during the summer months.

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According to Travel and Leisure, the creek is “dependent on the amount of snow in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, since the runoff forms this annual phenomenon.”

If you want to visit this beach, plan your trip soon. Since the timeframe of the river’s existence is so short, Travel and Leisure recommends visiting in late May or early July, especially during the weekdays when it is less crowded.

Colorado isn’t the only non-coastal state that made Travel and Leisure’s list. Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois also have some of the best beaches. You can view the full list on the travel magazine’s website.

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