White Sands National Park
Good to know
- Best time to go
- March to May, September to November
- Budget
- $
- Accessibility
- limited
- Coordinates
- Open in maps
The world's largest gypsum dunefield, covering 275 square miles of brilliant white sand in the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico. The dunes are composed of selenite crystals weathered from the San Andres Mountains and carried by wind to form distinctive wave-shaped crests and interdune hollows. Backcountry camping within the dunes requires a permit, and day hiking on the Alkali Flat and Plank Trails provides full immersion in the otherworldly landscape. The park periodically closes for missile range operations at the adjacent range.
Where next?
