In this guide we dive into how you too can explore the White Sands National Park, when is the best time to go and what adventures awaits both children and adults in this park.
Hello friends and welcome to another installment of our 6 States Road Trip. We are getting so close to the end of this trip. Then it is off to the next! Between the 5 states visited so far, namely, Nevada, California, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado and then all the National parks we have managed to explore, we certainly have gotten around in the last eight days. Now with 4 full days still ahead of us, there is even more to come.
We kicked off our morning, waking up at a campsite in the Manzano Mountains State Park, where we had spent the night after driving all the way from Colorado into our sixth state.
6th State: New Mexico
White Sands National Park
You have certainly seen it in photos...
Miles upon miles of snowy white sand dunes with landscape resembling a winter wonderland. Yet there is not a sprinkle of snow in sight. Yes, this amazing sight can be found in White Sands National Park, New Mexico.
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders – the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Although the sand closely resembles beach sand in other parts of the world, the sand from these dunes is actually made of gypsum.
Gypsum is a soft sulfate material often mined for its use as fertilizer and is even a component in some sidewalk chalks.
The gypsum provides for the white color that stretches over the dunes of this national park. White Sands National Park is the world’s largest gypsum dune field and stretches on for over 275 square miles of desert. To put it into perspective, the 275 square miles of dune field would span across 4,858 American football fields in length.
To enter White Sands, one needs a pass. These passes range between $15.00 and $30.00.
One of the best ways to explore White Sands is by venturing into one of the five established trails. Here you can explore the dunes and enjoy the silence and solitude of the dune field and scenery.
Best Times to go to White Sands National Park:
As a general rule, the best seasons to consider visiting the park are Spring and Fall. There are a number of factors that play into this decision.
One of the biggest factors will always be temperature. The park experiences very hot summers paired with very cold winters. While temperature may still vary within Spring or Fall months, visitors are more likely to experience timid weather.
Yet another factor to consider is crowds. The park is less crowded in winter and late fall months.
Lastly, visitors should consider the events calendar of the park. Around programs such as the Full Moon Night and others, the park experiences above average traffic.
Visitor Center:
Located at the intersection of the Dune Drive and Highway 70, the visitor center should be everyone’s first stop when entering a national park and White Sands is no exception. This is a good place to use the restroom, pick up park maps, speak to a park ranger, and buy all kinds of gifts and souvenirs to remember your trip by.
The visitor center is also the place to purchase your sled.
Hike the Playa Trail:
Distance: 0.4 miles
Time needed: 15–30 minutes.
Type of Trail: Out-and-back.
Difficulty: Easy.
Elevation Change: Minimal ascent.
This often-overlooked short trail is a fantastic way to get acquainted with the history and scenery of White Sands National Park. The Playa trail is only 0.4 miles in length, which makes for a very refreshing walk. Here you will find many other visitors walking along the path. It is said that for this exact reason many people avoid this trail and rather go for the road less traveled.
Dune Life Nature Trail:
Distance: 1 mile (1.6 km).
Time needed: 1 hour.
Type of Trail: Round-trip.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Trail marker color: Blue.
Located at the end of dune field, this family friendly trail is known as an Ecotone. An Ecotone is a place where two communities meet and integrate. In this area, the desert scrub community and the gypsum sand dunes meet and form one of the most diverse ecosystems in the park. Keep an eye out for a number of creatures such as kit foxes, badgers, birds, and all kinds of reptiles who call this area home. The moderate difficulty label of this trail is mostly due to the requirement of climbing two steep dunes before walking through soft gypsum sand.
Look carefully for trail markers on this trail before continuing. If you cannot see markers due to blowing sand or other unforeseen circumstances, do not proceed. Fierce winds, especially in Spring times can reduce visibility to but a few feet. Low visibility makes the possibility of getting lost all the more likely.
As per its name, this trail is perfect for observing animal and plant life. Sledding and playing in the sand at this location is not encouraged. Visitors are also asked to vacate this trail before sunset for their own safety.
The gypsum sand reflects sunlight off of its white surface. Therefore, always wear sunscreen and protective eyewear.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember, especially on warm days, is to bring extra water. The trail does not have any drinkable water sources.
Dune Drive:
Distance: 16 miles (26 km).
Time needed: 45 minutes.
Type of Trail: Dune Drive.
Difficulty: Easy.
Elevation Change: 0 ft.
For park visitors wanting a change of pace, the dune drive certainly delivers. In the White Sands National Park, the Dune Drive provides a loop through a portion of the park for visitors to drive through and experience the scenery. This loop starts at the Visitor's Center and travels through the heart of the gypsum dune field before returning to the center. Here you can simply drive through or even stop your vehicle and walk on the dunes and even play in the sand.
The Dune Drive is without a doubt the fastest way to explore the park, even if it is not the most exhilarating of choices. Not to mention, one can explore the park without even leaving your own vehicle.
Interdune Boardwalk Trail:
Distance: 0.4 mile (650 m).
Time needed: 15-30 minutes.
Type of Trail: Front-Country hiking.
Difficulty: Easy.
The Interdune Boardwalk Trail is an elevated boardwalk that leads visitors through the fragile interdune area to a scenic view of the dune field and the Sacramento mountains. One great aspect of this trail is that it is extremely friendly to our four-legged friends, as long as they remain leashed, of course. Short yet scenic, the boardwalk gives everyone the opportunity to see the fragile foliage in the park.
Alkali Flat Trail:
Distance: 5 miles (8 km)
Time needed: 3 hours.
Type of Trail: Round-trip.
Difficulty: Strenuous.
Elevation Change: 52 ft.
Trail Marker Color: Red Diamond.
Easily known as both the longest and most strenuous hike throughout the park, the Alkali Flat trail surrounds visitors with endless views of the dunes. Stepping onto the trail means stepping out of the world you once knew and stepping into a place where few footprints will be found or left behind. This breathtaking trail leads you through the heart of the sands, up and over steep dunes, to the edges of the Alkali Flat.
The Alkali Flat is the dry lakebed of Lake Otero, a lake that filled the bottom of the Tularosa Basin during the last ice age and covered 1,600 square miles. Do not be fooled by the name of this trail, this trail is anything but flat.
Sledding:
What can be a more family fun activity than sliding down the white gypsum sands dunes? In White Sands National Park, visitors can purchase these round saucer sleds from the park gift shop, also located at the visitor’s center. Sledding is allowed all along the loops portion of the Dune drive where there is little to no vegetation to be disturbed. Whether it is children gliding through the sand or adults sledding down an exhilarating dune, this activity is a must for all visitors to experience. Suggested location for peak sledding fun includes the Roadrunner picnic area, as well as the Alkali Flat Trailhead.
The area around the interdune boardwalk trail is off-limits to sledding activities.
After yet another fascinating day on our road trip, we look ahead to the rest of our trip.
- Come back to see what we experience next -
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