White Sands National Park
National Park ยท New Mexico
NPS Photo
National park in New Mexico, United States
White Sands National Park is a national park of the United States located in New Mexico and completely surrounded by White Sands Missile Range. The park covers 145,762 acres in the Tularosa Basin, including the southern 41% of a 275ย mi2 (710ย km2) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. This gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind on Earth, with a depth of about 30 feet (9.1ย m), dunes as tall as 60 feet (18ย m), and about 4.5 billion short tons of gypsum sand.
About White Sands National Park
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.
Park Photos
Activities
Operating Hours
Standard Park Hours
The park gates always open at 7:00 am with closing hours changing with sunset. The park closes 30 minutes after local sunset. Local sunset is 8 minutes earlier than Alamogordo's predicted sunset. Sunset times can be found at https://sunrise-sunset.org/us/alamogordo-nm
| mon | tue | wed | thu | fri | sat | sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset | 7:00AM - Sunset |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to enter White Sands National Park?
Entrance - Private Vehicle: $25.00. Per vehicle fee is charged to visitors for entry by a single, private non-commercial vehicle. Entrance fees are valid for reentry for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase. Entrance - Per Person: $15.00. Per person fee is charged to visitors for entry by means other than a single, private non-commercial vehicle. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who enter the park by walking and bicycling. Entrance fees are valid for reentry for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase. Entrance - Motorcycle: $20.00. Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. Commercial Entrance - Van: $50.00. Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board). Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus: $60.00. Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board). Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach: $150.00. Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board).
What are the best activities at White Sands National Park?
Popular activities at White Sands National Park include: Auto and ATV, Scenic Driving, Biking, Road Biking, Camping, Backcountry Camping, Food, Picnicking.
What is the weather like at White Sands National Park?
Temperatures at White Sands vary greatly throughout the year. Summer time temperatures can be very hot. Winters are mild with cool evenings. Spring time is the windy season. Fall is very enjoyable with mild daytime and night time temperatures.
How do I get to White Sands National Park?
White Sands National Park is located off of US Highway 70 between the cities of Las Cruces and Alamogordo. The park is about 15 miles west of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces.
Entrance Fees
Per vehicle fee is charged to visitors for entry by a single, private non-commercial vehicle. Entrance fees are valid for reentry for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase.
Per person fee is charged to visitors for entry by means other than a single, private non-commercial vehicle. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who enter the park by walking and bicycling. Entrance fees are valid for reentry for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase.
Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board).
Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board).
Commercial bus/van tours are charged a flat rate based on the capacity of the vehicle (not the number of persons on board).
Weather
Temperatures at White Sands vary greatly throughout the year. Summer time temperatures can be very hot. Winters are mild with cool evenings. Spring time is the windy season. Fall is very enjoyable with mild daytime and night time temperatures.
Directions
White Sands National Park is located off of US Highway 70 between the cities of Las Cruces and Alamogordo. The park is about 15 miles west of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces.
๐ View on Google Maps โLocation
Official Resources
NPS Official WebsiteMore Parks in New Mexico
Other national park sites you might enjoy
