When you think about Bruneau Sand Dunes, you probably think about summer activities, like hiking the dunes or kayaking on the water; but Bruneau State Park offers winter activities complete with heated, pet-friendly accommodations.

Here’s how you get to Bruneau State Park

It’s not that far of a drive from Twin Falls.  If the roads are good, you’re looking at about an hour and twenty-minute drive from Twin.

Bruneau State Park is fairly secluded in winter

If you want to get away from it all, Bruneau isn’t very busy during winter.  Since winter isn't the best time of year for water activities, and the observatory is closed until spring, there aren’t as many visitors.

Bruneau Dunes State Park
Bruneau Dunes State Park
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Epic hikes and sledding on the dunes

If you’ve never been sandboarding or sledding on sand dunes, here’s your opportunity to do it on the tallest single structure sand dune in North America. And if the dunes are covered in snow, it's all the more fun.

Bruneau Dunes State Park
Bruneau Dunes State Park
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The Visitor’s Center is open daily

The Visitor Center is usually open from 9 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday and Sunday, and Friday and Saturday 9 am-6 pm. Hours can vary, so you might want to call ahead. (208) 366-7919

Bruneau Dunes State Park
Bruneau Dunes State Park
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Cost to visit Bruneau State Park

If you’re just making a day trip of it, the entrance fee is only $7, or included in your Idaho State Parks passport.

Bruneau Dunes State Park
Bruneau Dunes State Park
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You can rent heated cabins at Bruneau State Park

There are a couple of options if you want to stay the night in a heated cabin. Both units hold a max of five people, and one of the two units is pet-friendly. Each cabin has an outdoor fire pit and a picnic table, but the fire pits aren’t sheltered from the elements. If it’s been snowing recently, there’s a good chance the pit will be full of snow which might make fire building a pain. I suggest you bring your portable stove if you have one, just in case.

The cost to rent a cabin is $67 per night by reservation. Rates can vary depending on the date and there may be additional fees. You can search availability and book online on the Idaho Parks and Recreation website.

LOOK: What 25 Historic Battlefields Look Like Today

The following is an examination of what became of the sites where America waged its most important and often most brutal campaigns of war. Using a variety of sources, Stacker selected 25 historically significant battlefields in American history. For each one, Stacker investigated what happened there when the battles raged as well as what became of those hallowed grounds when the fighting stopped.

These are the battlefields that defined the United States military’s journey from upstart Colonial rebels to an invincible global war machine.

Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa

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