[3] This section of land became the 22nd state park in Kansas by a House Bill signed by Governor Robert Docking.

[3] Shortly after this transfer, the Dillon Family of Hutchinson donated an adjacent 320 acres (130 ha).

With the donation, the Kansas Park and Resources Authority was able to acquire another adjacent 163 acres (66 ha) with Federal Land and Water Funds, thus establishing the present 1,123 acres (454 ha) Sand Hills State Park.

It is situated along the northern edge of the Hutchinson Dune Tract, which consists of rolling sand dunes from 10 to 40 feet (3.0 to 12.2 m) high that are mostly stabilized by prairie grass vegetation.

The dunes were formed by windblown deposits of sand transported from the Arkansas River at the end of the last glacial period.