Clambering up gypsum sand dunes in White Sands Nationwide Park in New Mexico, I half anticipated to see Will Smith dragging an alien in a parachute throughout this other-worldly panorama, like a scene from Independence Day.
The white sand dune subject stretches so far as you possibly can see, assembly the darkish line of San Andres mountains on the horizon. The glistening white of the sand makes the sky appear even bluer, making a distinction that’s merely beautiful. Visiting White Sands Nationwide Park in New Mexico was the spotlight of our current journey to the Southwest and positively one of the crucial lovely locations in New Mexico.
Ever since I heard that you might sled down the sand dunes at White Sands Nationwide Park in Southern New Mexico, I’ve waited for the chance to go to. After I determined to increase our go to to Arizona with a mother-daughter highway journey to New Mexico, it was the proper alternative.
The place to Keep Close to White Sands Nationwide Monument
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Since we had been driving over from Tucson, we stayed in Las Cruces, New Mexico. White Sands is about one hour from Las Cruces, an hour and a half from El Paso, Texas, and three hours from Carlsbad Caverns. (See this Carlsbad Caverns information if you wish to add on a go to.)
The smaller city of Alamogorda is close by, however I preferred the resort choices in Las Cruces higher. We stayed on the Lodge Encanto in Las Cruces, which supplied a restaurant, pool, and a allure that displays the realm’s Spanish and Mexican Colonial heritage.
If you’re coming down from Albuquerque, it’s a three and a half hour drive. Nonetheless, you possibly can cease in a single day in Fact or Penalties, a small city identified for its pure sizzling springs.
That is about one hour and 45 minutes from White Sands Nationwide Monument. We stayed on the Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa on the night time after we visited White Sands and actually fell in love with this property.
Featured in Nationwide Geographic Traveler as certainly one of ‘150 Motels You’ll Love’, that is such an enthralling and unassuming property. The service is superb, the meals is scrumptious (breakfast is included), and the decor is charming.
It’s such a greater possibility than the chain inns/motels round and never that costly. In addition they have a superb spa and a 30-minute soak of their indoor or outside sizzling tubs is included for every night time of your keep. We additionally splurged on a mother-daughter therapeutic massage after our soak and it was blissful.
What’s White Sands Nationwide Park?
White Sands Nationwide Monument was named White Sands Nationwide Park in December 2019. This park is within the Tularosa Basin in Southern New Mexico. The white sands dune subject covers 275 sq. miles, making it the biggest gypsum dune subject on the earth. The Nationwide Park preserves greater than half of this dune subject.
At one level in historical historical past, this space was coated by the Permiari Sea. When that sea receded, it left deep layers of gypsum. Mountains fashioned and raised the gypsum, however the receding of the glaciers after the Ice Age dissolved the gypsum and returned it to the basin.
Over the ages, wind and water have damaged down the gypsum to create sand. A gradual southwest wind retains shaping and reshaping the dunes.
Issues to Know Earlier than Visiting White Sands Nationwide Park
1. Examine Earlier than you Go
If you’re driving from Las Cruces or Interstate 25 within the west, you will want to undergo the White Sands Missile Vary. Once they conduct missile exams, the highway is definitely closed to visitors for as much as three hours and White Sand Nationwide Park can be closed.
Due to this fact it’s good to verify the web site or name forward to verify for closures (575-479-6124) resulting from missile exams. For Freeway 70 closure data, name the White Sands Missile Vary at (575) 678-1178.
2. Be Ready for Random Stops
Additionally, you could encounter a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint earlier than you arrive on the Customer Middle. We truly needed to pull over and undergo two of those throughout our time in New Mexico.
We didn’t want to indicate any ID or reply questions, however the automotive in entrance of us was stopped for fairly a couple of minutes with loads of forwards and backwards dialogue. It’s a little disconcerting to undergo these when not crossing the border however maybe that’s extra frequent in border states and this woman from the Northeast simply isn’t conscious of it.
3. Watch out for the Warmth
If you’re visiting through the summer season, like we had been, be ready for the warmth. Temperatures can exceed 100°F through the day and the one shade you’re going to discover is in some picnic areas. Plus the sunshine reflecting off of that white sand is highly effective. You have to to convey a powerful sunscreen, a great solar hat, and polarized sun shades — plus numerous water!
4. Know When to Go to
If you’re visiting in the summertime, or actually anytime between mid-April by way of mid-October, it’s best to go to White Sands Nationwide Park early or later within the day to keep away from the very best warmth and solar. After we visited in June, we arrived within the morning and had an satisfying couple of hours earlier than it actually began to warmth up.
Ideally you’ll go to White Sand Nationwide Park through the cooler months and have enjoyable taking part in on the dunes all day.
5. Deliver your individual Sled (if you happen to can)
If you’re highway tripping within the space, convey alongside your individual sleds to avoid wasting cash. Nonetheless, if you’re flying in like we had been, you should buy sleds within the reward store simply behind the customer middle.
New sleds had been $18 and used sleds (if there are any) are $10. The reward store additionally sells wax for the sleds to make them slide simpler. You may return your sled (and wax) after you might be performed and get $5 again.
6. Take Care Driving by way of the Park
After stopping on the Customer Middle (make sure to inquire about any Ranger Applications which may be occurring that day), you’ll drive out onto Dune Drive. There are numerous locations to cease alongside the eight-mile scenic drive. The highway begins out paved however then turns into packed sand so it would be best to take your time alongside the drive.
Fortunately, Dune Drive could be very straightforward to navigate so that you don’t want to fret about getting misplaced or lacking particular sights. When you get out onto the dunes, then you should listen so that you don’t get misplaced.
7. Discover the Steepest Hills off Dunes Drive
There’s a loop on the finish of Dune Drive and that is the place you can find the steeper dunes which can be nice for sledding. Take your choose of parking tons, however you could wish to drop a pin on a mapping app or no less than pay attention to the colour of the flag flying close to the car parking zone to make sure you will discover your means again.
The steepest hills provide the quickest sledding, however search for ones that finish in a gradual slope to make sure a mushy touchdown for these inevitable wipeouts. Keep in mind that strolling up the entrance of the dunes is hard work however definitely worth the enjoyable experience down.
Fortunately, the gypsum sand compacts properly and you’ll have a neater time if you happen to can stroll in another person’s footsteps. Even higher, take the great distance round and stroll up the gentler, firmer slopes to achieve the highest.
8. Give Your self Loads of Time
We had initially deliberate on solely spending the morning in White Sands Nationwide Park, however we quickly realized that it was not practically sufficient. We had a lot enjoyable climbing and sledding on the dunes that we each needed to remain longer.
There are quite a few picnic areas (however no water, that’s solely on the customer middle), so I’d advocate arriving within the early morning and staying by way of lunch. Or, come within the later afternoon, have a picnic dinner after which benefit from the sundown over the dunes.
In contrast to parks like Yellowstone or Grand Teton, in the future in White Sands Nationwide Park is loads of time to get pleasure from your go to. There is no such thing as a must spend a number of days within the park.
9. Pack a Picnic
Since there isn’t any meals or water within the park, you will want to pack a picnic to get pleasure from a full day within the park. There are numerous picnic areas, some with shade, so that you can get pleasure from. Nonetheless, I did see many households, particularly these with RVs, that arrange an space on the high of a dune with folding camp chairs and a pop-up cover for solar safety so they might spend loads of time hanging out whereas the youngsters went sledding.
Simply keep in mind to Depart No Hint and convey a rubbish bag to hold out the whole lot that you simply pack in. I’d additionally advocate a cooler with ice and once more, tons and plenty of water or hydrating drinks.
10. Stamp your Passport
White Sands is a part of the Nationwide Parks system and due to this fact you should utilize a Nationwide Parks “America the Lovely” Annual Cross to cowl your entrance price (this was our first park of the 12 months for our go!)
Contained in the Customer Middle, you will discover a stamp in your Nationwide Parks passport, which makes a enjoyable memento and solution to hold observe of which parks you might have visited.
11. Pack Good
You should definitely convey sunscreen, refillable water bottles (the one refill station is on the customer middle), a hat, sun shades, lip balm with SPF safety, a sled (when you’ve got one), a towel to wipe the sand off, and a rubbish bag to hold out all your trash.
I’d advocate sporting snug garments that you simply don’t thoughts getting sandy but in addition received’t get sand caught in uncomfortable locations. Maybe convey a change of garments for once you go away and put on flip flops or good exercise sandals with straps so that they don’t fall off.
White Sands Nationwide Park is certainly certainly one of our favourite spots within the Southwest and hopefully the following pointers will assist you put together in your journey!
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