Things To Do White Sands National Monument New Mexico

There are several National Park Service sites that do something that very few places on earth can do. They stop you right where you are and they make a lasting memory that you never forget. White Sands was one of those places for me!

I will personally never forget the first time seeing White Sands National Park and it's pure white gypsum dunes that seemed to last forever. This makes me so excited to share my favorite Things To Do White Sands National Park New Mexico.

As of December 20, 2019, White Sands National Monument became White Sands National Park!

Things To Do White Sands National Monument

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 not stop? There is so much to see and do so take your time and enjoy the park.

Go for a hike

There are 5 trails at White Sands and something for everyone.

The Interdune Trail (in the photo above) is a great ADA accessible boardwalk that is 4/10 mile roundtrip with great views and lots of interpretative panels telling you 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 have the opportunity to hike up and down a couple of steep dunes.
The backcountry Camping Trail is a moderate 2-mile roundtrip hike. This is a great hike to get you out into the gypsum dunes
The Alkali Flat Trail is a strenuous 5-mile roundtrip hike. This hike is constantly hiking up and down gypsum dunes and skirts along the final remnant of Lake Otero.

Have a picnic

My first impression was that it felt like I was on another planet. It'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 & 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.

Go sand sledding

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

You can either buy one or simply return 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 another thing cluttering 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 towards 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.

White Sands Photography

White Sands is a photographers dream! You don't have to be a professional to take a great photo either. A few of my favorite tips:

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

Ranger Programs

White Sands offers several ranger Programs for people to enjoy. You can take a sunrise photography tour and 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 offers park visitors Full Moon Hikes, live music, ranger programs, and special guest presenters and artists.

White Sands National Park Lodging

There are no National Park Lodges within the park.

The closest lodging can be found in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

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.

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.