White Sands National Park

Year Established: 2019
Annual Visitors: 782,000
Size: 73,600 Acres
State: New Mexico

Best Time to Visit White Sands National Park

October to November

If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks.

Best Experiences in White Sands National Park

• Dunes Drive
• Hike Interdune Boardwalk
• Sled the dunes

A Brief History

The sparkling white sands of New Mexico are one of our world’s natural wonders. They rise from the Tularosa Basin, the nation’s biggest gypsum dunefield and is made up of big sand dunes that look like waves and cover 275 square miles of desert. This area of shining white dunes is in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert. It is in the Tularosa Basin, which is a “internally drained valley.”

This dune field is very active. The most active dunes move up to 30 feet to the northeast every year, while the areas of sand that move the least almost don’t appear to move at all.

The pure gypsum that makes up these strange dunes comes from a temporary lake or playa in the western part of the monument that has a lot of minerals. As the water evaporates, the minerals left behind form gypsum deposits, which are then moved by the wind to make these white sand dunes.

Many plant and animal species have developed very specialized ways to live in this area, which has cold winters and hot summers, very little water on the surface, and ground water that is very mineralized.

White Sands RV Camping

If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for White Sands National Park or in New Mexico, consider checking out our other post:

• Best RV Parks in New Mexico
• Best RV Resorts in New Mexico

Visitor Information

Fees

Individuals 15 years old and younger are admitted free of charge.

Weekly Park Passes

$15.00 per person

$25.00 per vehicle

$20.00 per motorcycle

All passes are valid for up to 7 days.

Annual Park Passes

White Sands National Park Annual Pass – $45

Contacting White Sands National Park

Visitor Centers

White Sands Visitor Center

The visitor center at White Sands was built in 1936, and it is part of the historic district in the area. Inside, you’ll find both the park store and the park’s museum. Rangers will be available to answer questions and there are souvenirs available for purchase. This is the best place to get your National Park Passport book stamped too!