Explore the World’s Largest White Sand Dunes at New Mexico’s White Sands National Park

Stunning Landscape

Some places are so stunning and surreal that they transport you to another world. White Sands National Park is one such place. Here, the sand is so white it resembles mounds of snow, and the dunes are so big and rolling that they resemble giant white waves. The otherworldly effect is only enhanced by the New Mexico blue sky, which makes the white of the dunes pop.

Unique Flora and Fauna

The dunes, made of super-soft gypsum sand, stretch for 275 square miles in south-central New Mexico, creating the world’s largest gypsum dune field. In addition to their striking appearance, the gypsum sand dunes are extremely rare and host 800 animal species, including the park’s endemic “white species” — mice, lizards, moths, and other insects that have gradually lightened in color compared to their relatives elsewhere.

Activities at the Park

Visitors to White Sand National Park can hike on and sled down the giant mounds of powder-like sand. Popular hiking trails include:

• Dune Life Nature Trail: A 1-mile loop that traverses two steep dunes.
• Alkali Flat Trail: A more strenuous 5-mile round-trip hike that goes up and down several dunes and passes by the remnants of Lake Otero.

For a truly unique experience, visit the White Sands Trading gift shop to pick up a plastic sled and enjoy sledding down the sandy dunes, which feel remarkably like powder snow. Every month from April to October, the park hosts a guided full-moon hike that allows you to witness the eerie glow of the full moon reflecting on the white sand. During these hikes, you might spot some of the park’s nocturnal wildlife, such as the kit fox, coyote, or desert cottontail, which come out to hunt and forage when the sun sets and the sand cools.

Park Access

White Sand National Park is open year-round, and week-long park access is $25 per vehicle.