Out of the 1,006,619 square miles of protected area nationally, 132.8 square miles is home to one of the most fascinating dunes in the world. Being made a national monument in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover, The Great Sand Dunes in Colorado was recognized as a national park in 2004. It was made a national monument in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover. It is home to many species of animals and plants, such as the American pikas and Entaphalleas. Through the breaking apart and movement of large surface plates, the Great Sand Dunes were uplifted in the rotation of a large plate. With many volcanic eruptions, the Great Sand Dunes were born! The largest recorded volcanic eruption, La Garita Caldera, was what started the formation of the
