The notebook of White Sands National Park
See bigger at each turn.
Immense field of white gypsum dunes at the foot of the mountains of the Tularosa Basin.
At your own pace
Identity summary
1 to 3 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Recommended car
Desert · Nature
Variable accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
White Sands National Park
Immense field of white gypsum dunes at the foot of the mountains of the Tularosa Basin.
The discovery of White Sands National Park is based on Dune Life Nature Trail, Alkali Flat Trail and Interdune Boardwalk. The stay thus alternates between desert areas and natural areas, giving a concrete picture of the destination beyond its only best known site.
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For a stay of 1 to 3 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: conditions to be checked according to the season. A car is usually the easiest way to connect the different sectors. Accessibility varies from site to site and deserves to be verified step by step.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Dune Life Nature Trail
- Alkali Flat Trail
- Interdune Boardwalk
Before you choose
- Car often useful
- Conditions to be checked by season
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Nature and panorama
Dune Life Nature Trail
Dune Life Nature Trail The signs help to spot traces, burrows and plants adapted to moving sand, making walking more attentive than a simple white crossing.
Nature and panorama
Alkali Flat Trail
Alkali Flat Trail The route is driven through the most open dunes of White Sands, where the white of the gypsum almost erases the landmarks. The route is demanding by heat, wind or strong light, but it gives the rare sensation of moving forward in a mineral sea with constantly remodeled ridges.
Place indismissible
Interdune Boardwalk
Interdune Boardwalk offers an easy approach to the dunes of White Sands, thanks to a bridge between light sand, yuccas and low plants. The short course is suitable for observing the adaptations of the desert, the traces of animals and the shades of white without engaging in a long walk.
Nature and panorama
Playa Trail
Playa Trail leads to an old, damp, desert bowl, sometimes dry, sometimes marked by traces of water depending on the season. This short trail shows a less spectacular but very eloquent facet of White Sands: the role of basins, salts and evaporation cycles in the formation of the landscape.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
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