White Sands National Park

White Sands is the largest field of gypsum dunes in the world, a sea of blinding white sand rolling across a basin in southern New Mexico. Unlike ordinary sand, the gypsum stays cool underfoot, and the surreal white waves are irresistible for sledding down and unforgettable glowing pink and gold at sunset.

Background

Covering 145,762 acres of the Tularosa Basin, the park holds the southern 41% of a dune field of 275 square miles. The gypsum is about 30 feet deep and adds up to about 4.5 billion short tons, with dunes reaching 60 feet. Approximately 12,000 years ago the basin had large lakes, streams and grassland where Ice Age mammals lived. As the climate warmed, rain and snowmelt carried dissolved gypsum from the mountains, the drying lakes left selenite crystals, and wind broke them up and moved them east, as it still does. At least 45 species live only here, 40 of them moths. Approximately 60 fossilized human footprints sit between layers whose seeds date from 21,000 to 23,000 years ago.

Source: Wikipedia, "White Sands National Park"

Highlights

• The white dunes - the rolling waves of blinding gypsum sand.
• The Dunes Drive - the road looping out into the heart of the dune field.
• Sledding - sliding down the dunes on saucers, cool underfoot.
• Sunset - the dunes glowing pink and gold, the finest hour.

When to go

Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; summer is hot though the sand stays cool, and winter is mild. Sunset is the magic hour, and full-moon nights are special. Note the park sometimes closes briefly for missile-range testing.

What to expect

It is a striking but simple landscape, seen in a few hours, so it is a stop rather than a multi-day destination. The white glare is intense, so sunglasses and sun protection are essential. It sits by a missile range, so occasional short closures happen, so check ahead.

Nearby

Alamogordo and Las Cruces are the nearest towns; the Guadalupe and Organ mountains lie around.

Key facts