ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Contributed by: Elliott
  • 1. Which component of the Great Sand Dunes system receives heavy snow and rain?
A) The sabkha
B) The sand sheet
C) The mountain watershed
D) The dune field
  • 2. What type of moisture content is found below the dry surface of the dunes?
A) No moisture content
B) 5% moisture content
C) 7% moisture content
D) 10% moisture content
  • 3. Which type of dune is also known as crescentic or barchan dunes?
A) Star dunes
B) Transverse dunes
C) Parabolic dunes
D) Reversing dunes
  • 4. Where is almost 90% of the sand deposit found in the Great Sand Dunes system?
A) The dune field
B) The sabkha
C) The mountain watershed
D) The sand sheet
  • 5. What forms around vegetation in the sand sheet?
A) Reversing dunes
B) Star dunes
C) Nabkha Dunes
D) Transverse dunes
  • 6. What happens to the sabkha when water evaporates in late summer?
A) The sabkha becomes deeper with more plants and animals
B) Minerals cement sand grains into a hard, white crust
C) Water rises to form new dunes
D) Sand is blown away by wind
  • 7. Which tree species can be found in the park?
A) Birch tree
B) Ponderosa pine
C) Maple tree
D) Eucalyptus
  • 8. What type of grass is primarily found around the Sabkha wetlands?
A) Inland saltgrass
B) Ryegrass
C) Blue grama grass
D) Buffalo grass
  • 9. Which flowering plant is known as alpine phlox?
A) Rocky Mountain iris
B) Dwarf clover
C) Alpine phlox
D) Paintbrush flowers
  • 10. What type of dunes migrate into the main dunefield from the sand sheet?
A) Small parabolic dunes
B) Reversing dunes
C) Star dunes
D) Transverse dunes
  • 11. What is the role of creeks in the Great Sand Dunes system?
A) They prevent sand from moving.
B) They create new mountain ranges.
C) They carry sand back toward the valley and then to the dune field.
D) They only provide water for vegetation.
  • 12. Which component of the Great Sand Dunes system is seasonally saturated by rising groundwater?
A) The sand sheet
B) The mountain watershed
C) The sabkha
D) The dune field
  • 13. Which tree species is not found in the park?
A) Eucalyptus
B) Douglas fir
C) Ponderosa pine
D) Aspen
  • 14. What type of environment do hundreds of plant species in the park adapt to?
A) Alpine tundra and warm water wetlands
B) Urban areas
C) Tropical beaches and swamps
D) Deserts and rainforests
  • 15. What type of dune is characterized by multiple arms radiating from a central point?
A) Star dunes
B) Parabolic dunes
C) Reversing dunes
D) Transverse dunes
  • 16. Which flowering plant is known as the Rocky Mountain iris?
A) Dwarf clover
B) Rocky Mountain iris
C) Alpine phlox
D) Paintbrush flowers
  • 17. What Köppen climate classification type is assigned to the dunefield of the Great Sand Dunes?
A) Warm-summer humid continental (Dfb)
B) Mediterranean (Csa)
C) Tropical rainforest (Af)
D) Cold semi-arid (BSk)
  • 18. What is the average high temperature in July at the Great Sand Dunes?
A) Around 70 °F (21 °C)
B) Below 60 °F (16 °C)
C) Above 90 °F (32 °C)
D) Slightly above 80 °F (27 °C)
  • 19. How much does the temperature typically spread between high and low in a day at the park?
A) 5–10 °F (3–6 °C)
B) 40–45 °F (22–25 °C)
C) About 25–30 °F (14–17 °C)
D) 10–15 °F (6–8 °C)
  • 20. What is the average annual precipitation on the dunes?
A) 8 inches (203 mm)
B) 20 inches (508 mm)
C) 15 inches (381 mm)
D) 11.13 inches (283 mm)
  • 21. What month is typically the snowiest at the Great Sand Dunes?
A) March
B) December
C) January
D) April
  • 22. During what time of year does Medano Creek usually have its peak flow?
A) Late spring
B) Early winter
C) Fall
D) Mid-summer
  • 23. What can sand surface temperatures reach on sunny afternoons in summer?
A) 120 °F (49 °C)
B) 100 °F (38 °C)
C) 90 °F (32 °C)
D) 150 °F (66 °C)
  • 24. What weather phenomena are common in July and August at the park?
A) Tornadoes
B) Fog
C) Snowstorms
D) Afternoon thundershowers
  • 25. During which season are Indian summer days, with temperatures reaching or exceeding 60 °F (16 °C), typically experienced?
A) Fall
B) Spring
C) Summer
D) Winter
  • 26. What is the average winter high temperature in January at the Great Sand Dunes?
A) Just above freezing
B) Above 50 °F (10 °C)
C) Around 40 °F (4 °C)
D) Below 32 °F (0 °C)
  • 27. What is the total area of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve?
A) 65,1 sq mi
B) 35,528 acres (143.8 km2)
C) 107,342 acres (434.4 km2)
D) 149,028 acres (603.1 km2)
  • 28. Which of the following is NOT one of the four primary components of the Great Sand Dunes system?
A) Sand sheet
B) Mountain watershed
C) Volcanic plateau
D) Dune field
  • 29. Which tribe was the first historic people to inhabit the San Luis Valley?
A) Southern Ute Tribe
B) Zuni
C) Navajo
D) Apache
  • 30. Who became the first European on record to enter the San Luis Valley?
A) Zebulon Pike
B) Juan Bautista de Anza
C) Diego de Vargas
D) John C. Frémont
  • 31. Is hunting permitted within the national park boundaries?
A) Yes, with a special permit
B) Yes, during specific seasons
C) Only in designated areas
D) No, it is prohibited at all times
  • 32. How many times does the unpaved road to Medano Pass cross the stream bed of Medano Creek?
A) Five times
B) Seven times
C) Twelve times
D) Nine times
  • 33. What is the recreational visitor total for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in 2019?
A) 527,546 visitors
B) 400,000 visitors
C) 300,000 visitors
D) 600,000 visitors
  • 34. Which tribe called the Great Sand Dunes 'Sei-anyedi'?
A) Tewa/Tiwa-speaking pueblos
B) Ute
C) Navajo
D) Jicarilla Apaches
  • 35. What do the Tewa/Tiwa-speaking pueblos call the lake near the dunes?
A) Sei-anyedi
B) Sip'ophe (Sandy Place Lake)
C) Saa waap maa nache
D) Sisnaajini
  • 36. In which year did Don Diego de Vargas enter the San Luis Valley?
A) 1694
B) 1848
C) 1807
D) 1776
  • 37. What type of animals did Don Diego de Vargas and his men hunt in the southern part of the San Luis Valley?
A) Elk
B) Deer
C) Bison
D) Antelope
  • 38. What year did Zebulon Pike write about the Great Sand Dunes?
A) 1848
B) 1807
C) 1853
D) 1776
  • 39. What did Zebulon Pike compare the appearance of the sand hills to?
A) A desert oasis
B) A mountain range
C) A forest
D) The sea in a storm
  • 40. During which season did John C. Frémont cross the Sangre de Cristos into the San Luis Valley?
A) Summer
B) Spring
C) Fall
D) Winter
  • 41. What year did Captain John Gunnison and his party cross the dune field on horseback?
A) 1853
B) 1776
C) 1848
D) 1807
  • 42. In which year was Fort Massachusetts built near the Great Sand Dunes?
A) 1875
B) 1932
C) 1852
D) 1911
  • 43. Which family established a ranch along Medano Creek in 1875?
A) The Trujillo family
B) The Wellington family
C) The Volcanic Mining Company
D) The Herard family
  • 44. What did the Herard family establish in Medano Creek?
A) A trout hatchery
B) A gold mill
C) An irrigation ditch
D) A concrete manufacturing plant
  • 45. Which organization sponsored a bill for national monument status for Great Sand Dunes?
A) The Volcanic Mining Company
B) The Herard family
C) The Nature Conservancy
D) The P.E.O. Sisterhood
  • 46. Who signed the bill granting national monument status to Great Sand Dunes into law?
A) President Theodore Roosevelt
B) President Franklin D. Roosevelt
C) President Herbert Hoover
D) President George Washington
  • 47. When was the expansion of the monument into a national park and preserve completed?
A) 2004
B) 1932
C) 1911
D) 1999
  • 48. Which mountain range is located to the west of the San Luis Valley?
A) Cascade Range
B) Sierra Nevada
C) San Juan Mountains
D) Rocky Mountains
  • 49. What process did geologists use to estimate the age of sand deposits in the dunes?
A) Carbon dating
B) Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL)
C) Radiometric dating
D) Potassium-argon dating
  • 50. What causes the dunes to grow vertically?
A) Opposing wind directions during storms
B) Volcanic activity
C) Constant unidirectional winds
D) Erosion from mountain streams
  • 51. What mineral found in the dunes is both attracted to a magnet and can be magnetized?
A) Feldspar
B) Calcite
C) Quartz
D) Magnetite
  • 52. What is the primary reason for the stability of the main dune field?
A) Lack of vegetation
B) Human intervention
C) Constant rainfall
D) Opposing wind directions balance each other out over time
  • 53. What is the approximate latitude of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve?
A) 40.00° north
B) 35.00° north
C) 30.50° north
D) 37.75° north
  • 54. Which forest is located to the north of Great Sand Dunes National Park?
A) San Juan Mountains
B) San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area
C) Baca National Wildlife Refuge
D) Rio Grande National Forest
  • 55. What is the closest city to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve?
A) Blanca
B) Crestone
C) Alamosa
D) Mosca
  • 56. Which major road runs east-west through the San Luis Valley near the park?
A) Rio Grande Road
B) U.S. Route 160
C) U.S. Route 285
D) Colorado State Highway 17
  • 57. What percentage of all the sand in the park is contained within the surrounding flat sand sheet?
A) 70%
B) 80%
C) 90%
D) 50%
  • 58. Which wildlife refuge is adjacent to the west of Great Sand Dunes National Park?
A) Rio Grande National Forest
B) Sangre de Cristo Range
C) Baca National Wildlife Refuge
D) San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area
  • 59. What is the approximate distance from Great Sand Dunes National Park to Denver?
A) An hour by car
B) Two days by bus
C) A few hours by car
D) Half a day by train
  • 60. Which town is located to the east of Great Sand Dunes National Park?
A) Mosca
B) Crestone
C) Gardner
D) Hooper
  • 61. Which mammal is known for its ability to live in both alpine tundra and low elevation grasslands?
A) porcupine
B) bison
C) kangaroo rat
D) pika
  • 62. How many bison are ranched within the park boundaries on private land owned by The Nature Conservancy?
A) About 1500
B) Approximately 2500
C) More than 2000
D) Less than 1000
  • 63. Which bird species is known for nesting in the mountains during the summer?
A) American avocet
B) sandhill crane
C) white-tailed ptarmigan
D) great blue heron
  • 64. Which reptile found in the park is known for its horn-like spines?
A) garter snake
B) short-horned lizard
C) bullsnake
D) fence lizard
  • 65. Which amphibian found in the park is known for its distinctive call during mating season?
A) Great Plains toad
B) spadefoot toad
C) chorus frog
D) tiger salamander
  • 66. Which bird species is a large, wading bird found in the park?
A) red-breasted nuthatch
B) western tanager
C) hummingbird
D) sandhill crane
  • 67. Which reptile is known for its ability to mimic ants in appearance and behavior?
A) garter snake
B) fence lizard
C) bullsnake
D) Werner's ant-like flower beetle
  • 68. Which amphibian is known for its ability to burrow underground during dry periods?
A) tiger salamander
B) spadefoot toad
C) northern leopard frog
D) Woodhouse's toad
  • 69. Which bird species is known for its impressive diving ability?
A) sandhill crane
B) bald eagle
C) peregrine falcon
D) golden eagle
  • 70. Which type of tree is known as 'crooked wood' and grows near the tree line?
A) Aspen
B) Cottonwood
C) Ponderosa pine
D) Krummholz
  • 71. Which animals are known to hunt mule deer in the montane forests and woodlands?
A) Cougars
B) Pronghorn
C) Elk
D) Bighorn sheep
  • 72. Which bird species can be found hunting in the sabkha wetlands?
A) Hawk
B) Eagle
C) Peregrine falcon
D) American avocet
  • 73. Which mammal species is known to visit the dunes from other habitats?
A) Kangaroo
B) Elk
C) Horse
D) Elephant
  • 74. What type of environment do cottonwood and aspen trees thrive in at Great Sand Dunes National Park?
A) Riparian zones along creeks
B) Dune fields
C) Subalpine forests
D) Montane woodlands
  • 75. Which animal is known to nest in the ground on the sand sheet?
A) Squirrels
B) Groundhogs
C) Prairie dogs
D) Burrowing owls
  • 76. Which type of vehicle is recommended by the park service for Medano Pass Road due to deep sandy stretches?
A) Standard bicycles
B) Motorcycles
C) Fat tire bikes
D) Street-licensed 4WD motor vehicles
  • 77. Which trail leads to the summit of Mount Herard?
A) A trail off Medano Pass Road
B) Mosca Pass Trail
C) Medano Ramp Trail
D) Sand Creek Trail
  • 78. What is the length of Medano Pass Road?
A) 15 miles
B) 30 miles
C) 10 miles
D) 22 miles (35 kilometers)
  • 79. Which organization provides guided trips into the park from Zapata Ranch?
A) National Park Service
B) Great Sand Dunes Adventure Company
C) The Nature Conservancy
D) Zapata Partners
  • 80. What type of hunting is allowed in the national preserve during autumn?
A) No hunting
B) Hunting with dogs only
C) Commercial hunting
D) Sport hunting
  • 81. In what year was the dunes area first designated a national monument?
A) 1999
B) 1976
C) 2000
D) 1932
  • 82. What IUCN management category was assigned to the Great Sand Dunes in 2000?
A) Wilderness area (Ib)
B) Protected landscape (V)
C) Natural monument (III)
D) National park (II)
  • 83. Which organization purchased the Baca Ranch in 2002?
A) Department of the Interior
B) The Nature Conservancy
C) U.S. Forest Service
D) National Park Service
  • 84. How much did The Nature Conservancy pay for the Baca Ranch?
A) $31.28 million
B) $20 million
C) $50 million
D) $15 million
  • 85. What designation was given to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in 2019?
A) World Heritage Site
B) Biosphere Reserve
C) National Historic Landmark
D) International Dark Sky Park
  • 86. Which peak is located within the Baca Ranch?
A) Pikes Peak
B) Longs Peak
C) Mount Elbert
D) Kit Carson Peak
Created with That Quiz — where a math practice test is always one click away.