In the Tularosa basin in southern New Mexico there are dazzling white sand dunes. They cover 275 mi.² of the Chihuahuan desert. And these are no ordinary sand dunes- this is the largest gypsum sand dune field in the world. And half of it is preserved by White Sands National Park which I had the privilege of visiting in April during my spring break trip around New Mexico.
Getting to White Sands National Park
After beginning our trip and spending a day in Albuquerque, my travel partner David and I drove south. We stopped in Truth or Consequences to test out the hot springs and stayed in Las Cruces for the evening. In the morning, it was about an hour drive to White Sands National Park. In total, it was about a four hour drive from Albuquerque. The visitor center is just off of the US 70.
When we arrived, there was a ranger announcing that the film was just beginning so we went in to watch it. They also have exhibits about the park, and this is also where you can get your book stamped (if you’re like me and enjoy getting stamps from all the National Parks). The visitor center also has a bookstore and this is where you can rent sleds for sand dune sledding. We rented a used sled, and we were able to return our sled before the gift shop closed (5pm). Upon returning the sled, we were given a small refund that we were able to use towards the purchase of something in the shop. The visitor center is also the only place to fill water before entering the park. And it’s where you can snap your picture by the National Park sign.
About White Sands National Park
White Sands became a National Park in 2019, making it the 62nd National Park. It was first designated a National Monument in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover. The park is open from 7-6pm, though the visitor center closes at 5pm. It costs $25 per car to enter the park, or you can buy an America the Beautiful annual pass for $80. Just for my trip to New Mexico, where we visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Bandelier National Monument, the pass paid for itself.
An interesting fact that you should know before visiting White Sands National Park is that a missile range surrounds the park. Sometimes the park, and US 70 for that matter, may be closed when they are doing missile range testing. This happens about twice a week but only lasts one to two hours. After that the park will reopen. Make sure to check the NP website before visiting to check for closures. While we were hiking, we heard several planes passing overhead from the nearby Holloman Air Force Base, which shares a border with White Sands. Another fun fact- did you know the atomic bomb was tested just 65 miles away on July 16, 1945? We learned a lot more about it when we visited Los Alamos but more on that on a future blog post.
Exploring White Sands National Park
After the visitor center, you go onto the road and pass the fee booth. Then you follow Dunes Drive into the park. There are several roadside exhibits and self-guided trails within the National Park. Most of the drive is paved, but there are sections where the road has just been tamped down and/or plowed. It’s so interesting because as I drove, my mind really did trick me at times into thinking that I was driving into snow. Or maybe that’s just me being from Ohio.
White Sands- history and nature
If you’re like me, maybe you’re wondering why the sands are white. So here’s your history lesson: 1 million years ago there was a sea in this area, and when it retreated, it left behind layers of gypsum. Then, mountains rose and up went the gypsum with it. Next, water from melting glaciers took the mineral down to the basin and today the same process continues when it rains and snows. Wind and water further break down the crystals, making them smaller and smaller until they turn into sand. Strong winds keep the sand moving, piling it up into the dunes. Unlike other sand dunes, gypsum dunes retain water, and that keeps the dunes from blowing away too far. In fact, just inches below the surface of the dunes there is moisture.
Vegetation at White Sands
When I planned on visiting White Sands National Park I was expecting to see…well, sand. So I was surprised by the flowers and vegetation that were able to grow in the sand dunes (though I shouldn’t have been- given the aforementioned water hiding under the sand). Sand Verbena flowers disperse seeds across the dunes. Soaptree Yucca trees have stems that grow longer to keep new leaves above the sand. Skunkbush Sumac have deep roots that the sand grips onto. This forms a type of trunk, so that after the dunes move it remains standing tall. These trunks are great for allowing animals to find shelter, or dig dens.
I was really hoping to see a kit fox, but they mostly come out at night. We were, however, able to see lots of animal tracks in the sand. In the informational video at the visitor center we learned that many animals evolved into blending in with the sand. This helps to hide them, but also helping to keep them cooler. Also visible in the sand there are several places where people wrote their names or messages in the sand. And I joined in too.
Hiking at White Sands
There are 5 established trails at White Sands National Park. The first one visitors come across on the Dune Drive, and the first one we stopped at, is the Playa trail.
Playa Trail
The Playa Trail is 0.5 miles, with signs along the trail to teach about the history of the area, so you can imagine what it would’ve looked like long ago. The playa sometimes can fill with water. When we visited it was dry, but gave gorgeous views of the dunes in the distance.
Dune Life Trail
Next, and basically across the street from the Playa Trail, is the parking lot to the Dune Life Trail. This is a one-mile loop trail that gave us our first opportunity to walk through the trails. This is where we noticed all the vegetation. There are blue signposts that direct you around the dunes. Some of them were pretty buried, and a lot of them had lost their information because of the bright sun. It was an fairly easy hike besides two steep inclines- I really enjoyed it.
Interdune Boardwalk
A little further down the road is the interdune boardwalk, a handicap accessible trail. This trail is 0.4 miles, there and back.
Other trails include a 2 mile Backcountry Camping Trail which goes right through the heart of the dunes. This hike takes people over steep dunes (follow the orange markers) and there is no shade. The Alkali Flat Trail is NOT flat, and is a strenuous 5 mile hike. Follow the red markers up and down dunes. We chose not to hike these two trails, instead venturing into the Heart of the Dunes. This was the most popular area while we were visiting White Sands National Park, and where we pulled off and found a place to go sand dune sledding.
Sledding at White Sands National Park
Be prepared in the summer- it can get very hot at White Sands National Park. It can reach temperatures over 100°! However gympsum sand dunes are actually cooler than many other sand dunes. They are also firmer, which makes it great for sledding.
There were plenty of places to pull off with lots of small parking spots that people can claim to do some sand dune sledding in peace. We chose our own little dune to go up and down and from it we could see other groups having a great time doing the same thing as us.
The sledding wasn’t fast, but it was fun! We just spent one day in White Sands National Park, but we had a great time.
Thank for checking out my blog about visiting White Sands National Park. Check out these other posts to learn more about my adventures around New Mexico, including Bandelier National Monument and Los Alamos, the secret city involved with creating the atom bomb. Or, check out these blogs about visiting National Parks. And, if you like sand dunes, you may like Indiana Dunes National Park. I appreciate your comments, and love suggestions for adventures. Catch you soon!
-Catching Katie
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