Now that winter vacation time is approaching, I thought I could suggest some places to visit. If you want to escape snow and visit some amazingly beautiful place, White Sands National Park is the perfect place for you. We went to this national park last January and thought to share the information about the park briefly. This park, located in south-central New Mexico, is considered the largest gypsum dune field in the world. This glistening dunes are so vast that it can be seen from space. The pristine beauty of this place has always mesmerized us. Last January, we decided to visit this national park and was thinking for backcountry camping. But to get the permit you must be lucky. We reached late and our schedule was tight. But we spent a whole day hiking in the dunes, which was an amazing experience. Even in January, during the morning time the temperature was freezing cold. As the day progressed, it turned out to be hot. That’s one thing to consider while visiting any dunes – the temperature difference during the hours of the day. I would not recommend visiting this park during summer as because the summer heat may wear you out.
There are several hiking trails in White Sands National Park. The main two trails are backcountry camping trail (2-mile round-trip, moderate), Alkali flat trail (5-mile round trip, strenuous). If you want to go for a short hike through the heart of the dunes, chose the backcountry trail. This trail also leads to the backcountry campsites. We went to the Alkali flat trail and I must say it was an amazing experience. Generally, the picnic area and the beginning of the trails are always crowded with people. Once you start hiking, the crowd becomes less and less. Once you cross the one-mile landmark, you will see a very few people. After a certain point, you will feel that you are the only person standing on the sand dunes. That’s when you get the view of the beautiful serene endless white dunes and mountains at the backdrop. This view is so spectacular that you may find yourself staring at this for a long time. To get this picture, we hiked though Alkali flat trail long enough and came to a certain point where we could not see any more footsteps. Don’t forget to bring enough water and snacks as because it is easy to drain out even if the weather is cold. Remember its desert hiking and you don’t want to get lost. So, follow the marks strictly. There are several other short trails such as playa trail (0.5 mile round trip, easy), dune life nature trail (1 mile loop hike, moderate), interdune boardwalk.
Even if you do not want to hike, this is a pretty cool spot for spending time with friends and family. You can enjoy walking on the nearby dunes or even for fun you can do sledding on the soft white sands. You can bring your own sled or purchase one from the park’s gift shop.
The main idea of visiting this national park is to enjoy the beauty of the white dunes. The beauty of the wave-like dunes cannot be described in words specially during the sunrise and sunset time. That time the layers of the dunes resembles to the layers of the mountains and it seems like we are a very tiny human in this world of white. You have to visit this place to experience this feeling. I often wonder how amazing it would be to watch the stars from the tent in the dunes! Last time the time did not permit us, hopefully next time!
At a glance:
Permit required: Day pass / National Park pass
Best time to visit: late fall, early spring
Open: Open daily except December 25, Christmas day
Park hours: 7:00 am – 9:00 pm (summertime), 7:00 am – 6:00 pm (rest of the year), park hours may vary.
Activities: Hiking, 8-mile Scenic drive, bicycling, dune sledding
Camping: Backcountry camping available, 10 primitive camping sites available on first come first served basis. Permits are obtained at entrance booth. You must hike to get to the spot.
Important fact:
- Due to covid situation and various reason (including missile testing on the adjacent White sands Missile Range), park may be closed unexpectedly. Please visit White Sand National Park’s facebook page for latest update.
- Unlike other national parks, you cannot stay after hours. If you want to stay late or entry early, you have to request for a permit no less than 14 working days prior to the requesting date. The details can be found here:
- Check the weather before you go. It’s not recommended to hike if the temperature is above 85oF.
- Take plenty of water (at least 4L per person/day recommended), high-energy snacks with you even if the weather is cold. Water is available only in the visitor center.
- Use sunscreen, wear long sleeves, pants, hat, sunglasses even in the summer in order to protect from scorching heat of sun.
- Strictly follow the markers if you are hiking. It’s quite easy to get lost in the desert and quite dangerous. If you cannot see the trail marker, please do not process and return to your vehicle.
- Please avoid vegetation, fragile biological soil crust while walking.
- Don’t forget to keep a map with you as GPS signals can be unreliable in the park occasionally. Map link:
- Please bring your passport and immigration documents if you are not U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. There are several check posts and you will need it.
- Lastly, remember to practice “leave no trace” principles. Leave only your footprint, nothing else.
Note: Due to Covid-19, visitor center, gift shops, backcountry camping are closed temporarily. Dunes area, hiking trails, picnic area are still open. Please maintain the health guidelines and follow the rules and regulations.