14 Best Things to Do in White Sands National Park in 2024

SEARCHING FOR THINGS TO DO IN WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK?

We can help! White Sands National Park is one of our favorite places to visit when traveling through Southern New Mexico. We’ve spent hours sledding and playing with our kids in the gorgeous gypsum dunes. We will share helpful details to help you prepare for your trip and also recommend the best things to do in White Sands National Park.

Where is White Sands National Park

White Sands National Park is in the central southern part of New Mexico. It is about 1-hour northeast of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and is next to the Hollomon Air Force Base.

White Sands National Park to Albuquerque

If you are traveling from White Sands to Albuquerque, New Mexico or vice-versa you can expect a reasonable drive that is 224 miles long and will take you about three and a half hours if you take the I-25, If you take the I-40 your drive will be a little longer at 242 miles and about 3 hours and 53 minutes.

El Paso to White Sands National Park

There are two good options if you are traveling from El Paso to White Sands National Park, and both are about the same distance and time. One direction takes you through I-10 and is 95 miles long with a time of 1 hour and 30 minutes. The other route is 100 miles along US-54 and takes 1 hour and 33 minutes.

Carlsbad Caverns to White Sands 

If you are traveling from the White Sands to Carlsbad or from Carlsbad to the White Sands, there are two ways you can go. They both take you about 3 hours and 30 minutes, but the distances and the roads are significantly different.

If you take the US-82, the distance is 189 miles; you go through Cloudcroft and the Lincoln National Forest. This means you will go up a reasonable mountain with an elevation gain of about 4,000+ feet in about 16 miles.

This could be more of an issue in the winter than the summer and the type of vehicle you are driving. We did it in a large toy hauler and a total length of 57 feet, and we didn’t think it was too bad. It is winding with some switchbacks, so not the easiest drive.

The other option is taking US-54, which takes you close to El Paso, Texas, around the mountains. This is a little longer route, but you are on faster freeway types of roads. This route is 234 miles long.

A Carlsbad Caverns visit would be a great addition to this road trip. There are great places to stay in Carlsbad Caverns and amazing hotels in White Sands.

Closest Airport to White Sands National Park   

The closest major airport to White Sands National Park in New Mexico is in El Paso, Texas. The El Paso International Airport is 85 miles from White Sands.

Overview

What is gypsum sand?  

Gypsum sand is made from Gypsum. Gypsum is a sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. The soft Gypsum is broken down into tiny particles treating you to the White Sands you find at the White Sands National Park.

Interestingly Gypsum is used in many items we used today, like drywall, sidewalk chalk, and fertilizer.

Entrance Fees and Hours

White Sands National Park Hours: 7 AM to 6 PM
White Sands National Park Entrance Fees: $25

If you’re going to be visiting Carlsbad Cavern National Park, Guadalupe National Park, or any other nationally managed sites in the Southwest, we highly recommend purchasing America the Beautiful Pass before your trip. We used our pass a ton while we traveled through this area.

Missile Tests Closures  

New Mexico’s White Sands National Park is close to a missile testing site. This means that occasionally the road that goes past the visitors center and into the White Sands National Park is closed for a few hours at a time while any type of testing is being done. The closures typically only last 2 to 3 hours, and then the park is opened again.

The Visitors Center is not closed during these closures. The park is usually notified a few weeks in advance for tests, but on occasions, it will close last minute. If you are concerned about closures, check out the NPS website here.

Things to Do in White Sands National Park

The White Sands National Park is not overly large, but there are some fun things to do in the park. Here are some of the best things to do that we love.

1. Scenic Drive

We enjoy a great scenic drive. The scenic drive through the park is great to get a feel of the size of the park and to check out the different dunes.

As you drive through the park, you will notice that the sand dunes get bigger the farther you go into the park, with the biggest dunes being at the back towards the loop section of the drive.

2. White Sands National Park Sledding

Sleddging at the park is a fun activity for everyone to enjoy. We love sand sledding but often forget our sleds. The visitor center has saucer sleds you can purchase if you didn’t bring your own sled. You can purchase a new sled, or sometimes you can purchase a used sled.

There are also sometimes sleds left by the benches outside at the entrance to the Visitor Center that people have left for others to use. Check here before purchasing a sled. We found this out after we had already purchased our sled.

The saucer sleds are not our favorite for sledding on sand dunes, but if you wax them well, they are still fun. We love visiting the Bruneau Sand Dunes in Idaho and have found a longer-style sled works better on the sand.

If you are preparing ahead of time and have the ability to bring a sled, we recommend bringing this style of sled.

➡️ SHOP Sleds

The dunes are not huge like the Oregon Coast Sand Dunes, but they are still fun to play on.

Best Places to Go Sledding in the Park

The best places to go sledding in the park are by the Alkali Flats. This is because this is where you will find the largest dunes to sled down. There are some nice turnouts that are large where you can sled right by the parking area, or if you are feeling more ambitious, you can hike a little before sledding.

 3. Visitor Center

The visitor center is your typical national park visitor center. You can participate in the Junior Ranger Program and learn about how the park was created.

Visiting White Sands National Park is a unique experience since it is made of Gypsum Sand. This is where the park gets is beautiful white color.

4. White Sands National Park Gift Shop

The gift shop is where you can purchase some fun national park items that are specific to the park. This includes clothing, sleds, rocks, and some other interesting items. As you first walk into the visitor center, you will find the park rangers on the right; if you continue a little farther, you will find the gift shop.

The sleds are in a small cove part of the gift shop that is just to the left of the checkout counter.

5. White Sands National Park Tours and Ranger Guided Hikes

There are a few tours offered by the park that people enjoy. The first tour is the full moon hikes tour, which is one of the best things to do in White Sands National Park. This tour is offered only once a month, the day before a full moon. You will get to hike the park under the moon and stars on a moderate hike down the Dune Life Nature Trail.

The tour is offered from April to December, and the hike is a mile long. You will need to be able to complete the tour with the group; you are not allowed to leave the group early or turn back without the group. You will also need to have a reservation.

The second tour is called the Lake Lucero Tour. If you are curious about the white sands, how they were formed, and Lake Lucero, which is often referred to as the birthplace of the White Sands, this is a fun tour. On this tour, you will learn about how the sand dunes were formed and how the selenite crystals are important to the formation of the gypsum sand.

The trail you hike is not maintained and is around 1.5 miles long. The hike is considered moderate because of the loose sand you will walk over and the trail not being one that is maintained on a regular basis. The Lake Lucero tour is once a month from October to March, and you must make reservations.

You can visit the park reservation website here.

6. Junior Ranger Program

Our kids love the national park junior ranger programs. They are a fun way to learn about the national parks, and how they were made, and you learn about the different types of plants and animals that call these parks home.

The White Sands Junior Ranger Program is great for all ages. Even if you are older, it is a great program to learn about the park.

Hiking Trails in White Sands, NM

Hiking in the White Sands is a fun experience, but you should use caution and have your phone charged. As you hike the trails, you will start to see how easily it could be to get lost. Keeping your phone close is a great way to help you navigate if needed.

Pro Tip: It is a good idea to bring sunglasses to this national park. Even when it is cold outside or cloudy, the sun reflects off of the sand and can be very hard on your eyes. My eyes started to hurt within a few minutes of hiking the trails.

7. Playa Trail

• Difficulty: Easy
• Length: 0.5 miles
• Elevation Gain: >50 Feet
• Route: Out and Back
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Hiking Time: 30 Minutes to 1 Hour

The Playa Trail is the easiest hike in the park. It is marked with green markers with a heart on them. This makes it easy to identify where you are in case you need to call for help; you can reference the heart on the markers.

This trail takes you along a small playa. A playa is an area that will temporarily fill with water during the rainy season but quickly dries up as the rain stops. Something very cool about playas is not far below the surface, there is water.

8. Dune Life Nature Trail

• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Length: 1 Mile
• Elevation Gain: >100 Feet
• Route: Loop
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Hiking Time: 30 Minutes to 1 Hour

The Dune Life Nature Trail is going to be the second trail you pass, and it will be on your left. The trail is super cool because it takes you through the white sand dunes in New Mexico, where you can see lots of different animal tracks that were made the night before.

This is because it is on the edge of the dune field and therefore has more vegetation than the other areas of the dunes. Lots of animals make this area home. The trail markers are blue, with the symbol being a club.

This area can be an area where you can get lost easily, so make sure to follow the markers.

9. Interdune Boardwalk Trail

• Difficulty: Easy
• Length: 0.5 Miles
• Elevation Gain: >50 Feet
• Route: Out and Back
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Hiking Time: 30 Minutes

The Boardwalk Trail is an easy trail that is wheelchair and stroller accessible. The trail is only about half a mile, but there are 10 exhibits. These exhibits will teach you about the ecosystem and the different conditions that have made this area the world’s largest gypsum sand dunes.

This very well could also be the world’s greatest sandbox. This is why we brought our sand toys and made some sand castles.

10. Alkali Flat Trail 

• Difficulty: Difficult
• Length: 5 Miles
• Elevation Gain: 100 feet
• Route: Loop
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Hiking Time: 3+ Hours

The Alkali trail is one of the harder trails in the park, and you need to make sure you are prepared when embarking on this trail. The trail is not flat and requires hiking up multiple dunes in soft sand. There is also no shade.

It is recommended that when hiking this trail, you take at least 1 gallon of water per person, and you do not hike the trail if the temperature is above 85 degrees.

The marker to follow on this trail is red, and the picture on the marker is a diamond. Make sure you can see the markers as you proceed. You should go from marker to marker. If you cannot see a marker, then you should proceed back to the parking and your vehicle.

Make sure you bring sunscreen, food, and water. You can get sunburnt in this park very easily and quickly. We were sun burnt on a cool day within an hour of playing outside.

Many people are not used to this type of landscape, and it is important to learn about it before you head out on hard trails where you could get into a bad situation.

11. Backcountry Camping Trail

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Length: 2 miles
• Elevation Gain: 100 feet
• Route: Loop
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Hiking Time: 1.5 Hours

The Backcountry Camping Trail is a great trail to see the expansive magnitude of the sand dune in the park. This trail is most visited by backpackers it is still a great trail for those wanting to see the expansive dunes.

The trail markers are orange with a spade on them. As with the other trails in the park, you should travel from marker to marker. This will prevent you from getting lost and is the safest way to hike in this park.

12. Backcountry Camping

Backcountry camping at White Sands National Park is the only way to stay inside the White Sands NP. This means there is no White Sands National Park RV camping inside the park. They only have dispersed campgrounds for tents.

The campsites are located along the backcountry camping trail, and there are 10 campsites.

These campsites are a great way to see the park at night without the crowds. You can stargaze on top of the beautiful dunes. However, it is discouraged to hike at night because it is so easy to get lost, and GPS does not always work here.

At the time of writing this article, the backcountry camping sites are closed for rehabilitation, and it has not yet been determined when the sites will open back up. Please check the NPS website here for more information and to check if the sites have reopened.

13. Pack a Picnic

The park is a great place to have a picnic. You have a picnic on the side of one of the dunes while sledding down the dunes like we did or you can use one of the shaded picnic tables.

Either option is great. The picnic tables are close to the dunes, so you can still eat at the shaded tables and play at the dunes.

14. Ride Your Bike 

The park is a great place to ride your bike. While you cannot ride on the trails, the scenic drive that takes you through the park would be a very fun experience on a bicycle because of the beautiful nature of the park.

The park is also not overly large, so it would not be too challenging to bike a large portion, if not all of the park.

Map of Things to Do in White Sands National Park 

Bring a Dog to White Sands National Park  

The White Sands National Park has to be one of the most pet-friendly national parks we have ever been to. We often avoid taking our dog with us to the national park because there are very few trails, if any, they are allowed on.

In White Sands National Park, dogs are allowed basically everywhere that humans can go.

This means you can bring your dog with on all the dunes and trails you as long as you keep your dog under control and leashed.

White Sands National Park Weather 

White Sands is a desert environment. This means during the summer, you will have extreme heat conditions. For example, the hottest months are June and July. The average high during these months is 97 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the other hand, if you are visiting in the winter months, of December and January, you can expect highs of around 57 degrees and lows of 22 degrees. Make sure you are prepared for the temperatures when you are visiting and remember that you will still get sunburnt in cool temperatures.

Another thing to be aware of is the area can get windy. If you are traveling on the roads with a large RV, make sure you slow down if it gets windy. During our trip towards the end of February, we had multiple days with wind advisories and wind gusts of above 50 miles per hour.

Best Time to Visit White Sands National Park

The best time of year to visit White Sands National Park is in the spring, between the months of February and May. This is the best time to visit because you will have the best weather and the park is not as crowded.

The fall can also be a reasonable time, but the weather changes fast from hot to cooler. If you do not mind wearing some layers or a light jacket, the fall and winter are good times to visit.

Be Prepared With Lots of Water and Sun Protection 

Sun protection and water are a must in this national park. You can easily underestimate the amount of water and sun protection you will need. The sun reflecting off the white sand, combined with the extremely dry climate, can cause anyone to become disoriented and not feel well.

Make sure you bring a gallon of water for each day per person, especially if you are going to spend time hiking the trails.

Hotels Near White Sands National Park 

There are a handful of hotels that are fairly close to the White Sands National Monument. However, almost all of them are in Alamogordo, which is about 20 minutes away. Most of the hotels are reasonably priced.

There are a number of budget-friendly options and medium-level hotels. Below are some of our favorites and best-rated.

• Quality Inn and Suites Near White Sands National Monument
• Days Inn by Wyndham Alamogordo
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Alamogordo

If you’re looking for more options for places to stay near the park, check out our post on the best hotels near White Sands.

Camping Near White Sands National Park

Camping is the best way to stay close to the White Sands National Monument. This is because you can either backcountry camp inside of the park, or you can boondock in a great place that is only 5 minutes down the road.

We love boondocking at Holloman Lake. It was so close to the park. Be sure to bring all your boondocking essentials, like RV batteries, when staying here. You can fit any RV here. The only place you need to be extra careful is the gate going into the camping area. The gate is tight.

Go in as straight as you can. It is easier if you are coming from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

A few other camping spots you will like are:

• Hollomon AFB FamCamp
• White Sands RV Park
• Almogordo White Sands KOA
• Boothill RV Resort
• Edgington RV Park

History of White Sands National Park  

White Sands has long been a place for people to seek out its natural resources. Spanish explorers sought salt, gypsum, and any other natural resources they could find.

For a period of time, ranchers used the land around the sand dunes for grazing, but shortly after WW2 and the Pearl Harbor bombing, the United States Government took over the area for scientific research and development.

FAQ: White Sands National Park 

Are dogs allowed at White Sands National Park?

Yes, this could very well be the most dog-friendly national park in the U.S.

Is White Sands National park worth it?

Yes, it is worth it, but you should have the correct expectations. The park is not large and is not a place you will want to spend much more than a weekend, but the white sand desert is beautiful and provides one of the most amazing backdrops to take pictures.

Can you just drive through White Sands National Park?

You can just drive through White Sands. There is a nice short scenic drive that runs through the park. A drive through the park will give you a very good look at what the park is and its beauty.

If you do this, make sure you get out to feel the sand. It is so soft.

What is special about White Sands National Park?

The white sand is what is special about this park. It is the largest gypsum sand dunes you will find. Gypsum is used in many products that we use today.

What city is closest to White Sands National Park?

The closest city to White Sands National Park is Almogordo. If you stay at a hotel, this is where you will most likely be staying for your visit to the dunes.

What city is White Sands National Park in?

White Sands National Park is considered to be in the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico.

How much time do you need in White Sands National Park?

A weekend would be sufficient for a visit to White Sands National Park. If you want to explore outside of the park and the nearby Alamogordo, you could spend a little longer.

What else is there to do by White Sands National Park?  

Here is a list of some great close things to do near White Sands National Park in New Mexico.

• New Mexico Museum of Space
• The Toy Train Depot in Alamogordo
• White Sands Missile Range Museum
• Grindstone Stables
• McGinn’s PistachioLand-World’s Largest Pistachio

Conclusion: Things to Do in White Sands National Park 

There are many fun things to doing White Sands, NM. Some people might only want to stay a day or two, while others might want to stay longer. However, everyone sees that this is a beautiful park.

People come from all over just to get a beautiful picture with the picturesque sand. I joke about the sand even making our dodge truck look good, as I grew up in a Ford family.

These sand dunes in New Mexico are worth the visit, and if you have time, make sure you check out the other national parks in southern New Mexico.