What a beautiful and unique experience we had in the Chihuahuan Desert at White Sands National Park.
While driving back home to Louisiana from California, we stopped in New Mexico to visit family. They know we are always up for an adventure and suggested a visit to White Sands National Park. It was such a memorial experience for us & the kids that I decided to try and encourage someone else to visit.
Before diving into the fun stuff, here’s a brief history on the park so that you can appreciate it more. In 1933 White Sands was designated as National Monument but was redesignated as a National Park in 2019, so it’s pretty new to the park registry. Being new hasn’t prevented this park from attracting more than 700,000 visitors from coming to admire the unique sand dunes in 2023. These beautiful sand dunes get their white color because they are made of the mineral gypsum. The park actually sits on the largest gypsum dune field in the world.
Entry is $25 per vehicle but before entering I’d suggest stopping by the visitor center where you can rent a sled for hours of family fun. There are a few options when it comes to the sleds; new sleds are $25.99, used sleds are $16.99, or you can bring your own. If you choose to get your sled from the visitor center you can return it on your way out for a $5 refund. We were also told that you can rent ATVs in the area and use them to ride around the park. Pets are allowed, but be sure to keep them on a leash.
Check the weather before planning your visit. We’ve been a few times and the most recent was very windy, which made things pretty hazy. We weren’t able to see the stunning San Andres Mountains in the distance like we had the other times.
The temperature during our visit was near perfect, right around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It was warm but right beneath the sand was very cool, walking barefoot felt so nice.
There are multiple hiking trail options in White Sands, though we didn’t attempt any with small children in tow. I did, however, gather the info below from the National Park Services website (nps.gov) about the available trails.
DUNE LIFE NATURE TRAIL:
- Type: Front-Country Hiking
- Duration: 45-60 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Dunes Drive
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
- Type: Front-Country Hiking
- Duration: 15-30 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Dunes Drive
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
- Type: Front-Country Hiking
- Duration: 2-3 Hours
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Dunes Drive
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
ALKALI FLAT TRAIL:
- Type: Front-Country Hiking
- Duration: 2-3 Hours
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Dunes Drive
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
- Type: Front-Country Hiking
- Duration: 15-30 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Dunes Drive
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
A few essentials that will come in handy are sunglasses, sunscreen, a backpack with a few snacks & water, a hat, and definitely a camera to capture the gorgeous views.
On the way out we made sure to stop back by the gift shop to return our sleds and to shop around a bit. We grabbed a few stickers for our water bottles, some cactus jelly, and visited with the park rangers.
This park is also a live missile range, so, before visiting be sure to check and make sure no tests are being performed that day.
I hope this encourages you to give this place a try if you are ever in the area. It really is one of a kind. Have fun, explorer.
Do you have suggestions on other beautiful parks, or have you visited White Sands and would like to share your experience? Leave your comments below.