Link to USGS home

Sand Dunes - Coastal

Dune formation

Sand dunes form wherever environmental conditions provide sand, steady wind and a location for the sand to collect. This may occur in both coastal and terrestrial settings.

Coastal Dunes

Sand starts as bedrock, which is broken down into blocks, a size at which water is able to transport them downstream. Eventually these large blocks may be jostled around enough to be broken into sand-sized grains. Sand and other sediment usually ends up deposited along the sides of streams, in lakes, or in the ocean.

There are many examples of coastal dune fields within the National Park Service system. Listed below are Parks containing coastal dunes. Click here to learn more about dune formation and coastal systems.

Coastal Dunes - Ocean and Lake


FirstGov, 'Your First Click to the U. S. Government'