Things To Do at White Sands National Park in New Mexico

White Sands National Park is truly unique. I was awestruck the first time I witnessed the white gypsum sand dunes that seemed to last forever. Here is a list of Things To do at White Sands National Park.

Gypsum Sand Dunes in White Sands National Park in New Mexico

Park Alerts
Backcountry camping at this park is closed. There is no established opening date at this time.
There is limited RV and Tractor Trailer Parking for recreational vehicles and trailers at the visitor center in the parking lot directly in front (south) of the visitor center. RVs are asked not to park in the lot behind the visitor center. There is no parking space for tractor-trailers.
From time to time the missile range that surrounds the park performs military testing that may require the closure of the park or Highway 70. Click here for more information.
Interdune Boardwalk is Closed due to the active safety corridor.

The Tularosa Basin is located in Southern New Mexico 220 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 95 miles North of El Paso, Texas. President Herbert Hoover established this section of land as White Sands National Monument in 1933. In 2019, White Sands added 4,855 acres and was reestablished as White Sands National Park!

This area is unique because it is part of the world's largest gypsum dune field, which covers 275 square miles. This area was formed when the gypsum settled on the seafloor after the Permian Sea covered it 280 million years ago. This unique area has several plants and animals that have adapted to this unique environment and even has evidence of human life, including ancient footprints.

Things To Do White Sands National Park

Dunes Drive

The Dunes drive takes you into the heart of the world’s largest gypsum dune field at a staggering 275 square miles! The road is 16 miles roundtrip, with the first five miles in & out being paved. It's the road past the pavement that you will remember most.

They say it takes approximately 45 minutes, but who really just drives through and does not stop? There is so much to see and do, so take your time and enjoy the park.

Dune Life Nature Trail at White Sands National Park

Go for a hike

There are five trails at White Sands and something for everyone.

The Interdune Trail is a great ADA-accessible boardwalk that is a 4/10-mile roundtrip with great views and lots of interpretative panels about the park.
The Playa Trail is a ½-mile easy roundtrip hike.
The Dune Life Nature Trail is a 1-mile moderate self-guided nature hike. Here, you can hike up and down a couple of steep dunes.
The backcountry Camping Trail is a moderate 2-mile loop trail. It is a great way to explore the gypsum dunes.
The Alkali Flat Trail is a strenuous 5-mile roundtrip hike. It constantly climbs up and down gypsum dunes and skirts the final remnant of Lake Otero.

picnic area at White Sands National Park

Have a picnic

My first impression was that I was on another planet. That's okay because you will quickly jump out and start playing in the sand and having fun! Afterward, have lunch and perhaps play some more or try out sledding.

Park Ranger John Pro Tip: Make sure to carry colored plates, napkins, and silverware. White blends in very well with the gypsum and can make for a difficult time if the wind picks up and blows things off the table.

sand sledding at White Sands National Park

Go sand sledding

This is one of the park's biggest attractions! The best part is that you don't have to bring a sled with you. When you arrive, just stop by the visitor center and get your sled there.

You can either buy one or simply return it afterward and make it a rental. This leaves more room in your car for what you need for your road trip and is the perfect way of recycling something instead of having another thing clutter your garage at home.

Here are a few tips for sledding:

never stand on a sled while sledding
always go feet first down (head first gets sand in your eyes, and when head injuries occur)
Make sure you are not sledding toward a road or parking lot
Avoid vegetation and hard clumps. The sand is soft, but the floor surface can be extremely hard and cause injuries
Supervise children.

Yucca is Gypsum dunefielf in White Sands National Park

White Sands Photography

White Sands is a photographer's dream! You don't have to be a professional to take a great photo. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

Use the rule of thirds
Try to take pictures during the Golden Hours.
Add a subject matter like a Yucca plant
Shadows can dramatically enhance a photo
Take care of your equipment! Sand does terrible things to cameras and lenses. Blowing sand can get into cameras and lenses just as easily as falling in the sand.

Camera Gear we use

We are big fans of using great camera gear to get amazing photos while traveling.

Canon R5 - We recently upgraded to the R5 after using a Mark 5 for years. We are loving the camera shutter speed and quality of images.

Canon 100 - 500mm - We use the Canon 100-500 for wildlife photography.

Camera Rain Cover - A rain cover will help protect your camera during rain showers but also when photographing waterfalls.

Camera Cleaning Kit - Cameras can get dirty, beat up, and dusty while in the parks. We like having a cleaning kit with us so we can do on the spot touch ups.

Extra Camera Batteries - We suggest always having one or two extra camera batteries with you. There is nothing worse than going to take a shot and the battery dies.

Extra Memory Cards - We use Extreme PRO SanDisk cards

interpretative area in White Sands National Park

Ranger Programs

White Sands offers several ranger Programs. Visitors can take a sunrise photography tour and take sunset strolls.

Try to visit during a full moon and experience Full Moon Nights, a cultural legacy of New Mexico and Northern Mexico. Full Moon nights offer park visitors Full Moon Hikes, live music, ranger programs, and special guest presenters and artists.

Interdune Boardwalk at White Sands National Park

Tours in/around White Sands National Park

White Sands National Park Audio Tour Guide - Want a tour at your own pace? Now you can download your own tour guide to your phone, which will help you understand the park better. The audio narration plays automatically as you drive using GPS and allows you the freedom to explore the park at your own pace. The best part is that the offline map does not need Wi-Fi or data!

Click here to learn more/purchase the White Sands National Park Audio Tour Guide.

PistachioLand Farm Tour - Curious about Pistachios, including the world's largest Pistachio at 30 feet tall? Then you have found the right place! This tour explores the 90-acre property aboard the orchard's 14-passenger open-air shuttle, zooming among 12,000+ pistachio trees and rolling grape vineyards. After the tour, stop by the gift shop to look for souvenirs, complimentary wine tasting, and tasty free samples!

Click here to learn more/book your PistachioLand Farm Tour.

Don't forget to pack

Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.

Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.

Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!

Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!

Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.

White Sands National Park Lodging

There are no National Park Lodges within the park.

The closest lodging can be found in Alamogordo, New Mexico. You can also search in Las Cruces, New Mexico 50 miles away.

Hampton Inn Alamogordo - Take advantage of free to-go breakfast, laundry facilities, and a gym at Hampton Inn Alamogordo. Free in-room Wi-Fi and a business center are available to all guests.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Alamogordo - Take advantage of a free breakfast buffet, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a gym at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Alamogordo Hwy 54/70, an IHG Hotel. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a business center.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Alamogordo - Free continental breakfast, laundry facilities, and a 24-hour gym are just a few of the amenities provided at Fairfield Inn & Suites Alamogordo. In addition to a business center and a snack bar/deli, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.

Quality Inn & Suites - Quality Inn & Suites Near White Sands provides amenities like free full breakfast and laundry facilities. Guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi

Days Inn by Wyndham Alamogordo - free to-go breakfast, laundry facilities, and a business center at Days Inn by Wyndham Alamogordo. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.

Click on the map below to see current rates for hotels and vacation rentals near White Sands NP.

White Sands National Park Entrance Fee

Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.

Park Entrance Pass - $25.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $20.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Per-Person Entrance Pass - $15.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.

Annual Park Entrance Pass - $45.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.

$50.00 for commercial van with 7-15 seats

$60.00 for commercial Mini-bus with 16-25 seats

$150.00 for commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

2024 America The Beautiful National Park Pass

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.