White Sands National Park offers an interesting landscape of beautiful white gypsum sand surrounded by craggy mountains and desert in southern New Mexico. The park is located near the town of Alamogordo, Holloman Air Force Base, and the stunning Sacramento Mountains. The scenic drive is lovely and the park trails are a wonderful way to explore deeper into the sand dunes. But sledding down the dunes was by far the most popular activity in the park! More on that to come…
Like most National Parks, the earlier you arrive, the less crowded the park will be. While the sand stays nice and cool, the temperature rises quickly in the Spring and Summer months. Pack your sun gear and plenty of water to bring with you while you explore. An important thing to note: the road into the park is subject to closure due to testing at the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. Closures are posted on the park’s website so be sure to check before you visit.
Sledding the Dunes at White Sands
If you are going to visit White Sands National Park, we highly recommend you bring a sled (especially if you have kiddos).
You can purchase sleds from a local retailer in nearby Alamogordo, but they also have sleds (and wax) available for purchase at the park’s Visitor Center. We were on the fence about it, but so glad we did…. the whole family had an epic time!!
The rangers ask that you do not sled close to the road or vegetation, but other than that you can follow the road into the park and find your own perfect spot to sled!
The further you travel to the back of the loop, the fewer the people.
We parked at the Alkali Flats, walked a couple hundred yards into the dunes, and found our perfect spot to sled. This is the softest sand I have ever felt, and surprisingly it wasn’t hot, even on a warm sunny day.
Climbing up the dunes was a great workout, and the sledding was fantastic, a fun day was had by all!
Other Activities at White Sands
The park offers an 8-mile down scenic road with a loop turnaround at the end, you can drive or even cycle Dunes Drive. There are plenty of picnic areas and pull-offs for parking spread out in the park.
There are numerous trailheads along the main road and tons of hiking in the park. From boardwalk trails to back-country hiking and all difficulty levels in between. Next visit, we plan to hike the Nature Trail and the Interdune Boardwalk trail.
There were families set up for the day on the dunes, with picnic blankets, chairs, umbrellas, etc. If you have an RV, there is plenty of parking throughout the park, even for big rigs (the only place it was tight was at the Visitor Center).
Near White Sands: Three Rivers Petroglyph Site
Less than an hour is another can’t miss outdoor experience while visiting the area. Three Rivers Petroglyph Site has over 20,000 petroglyphs! You can find many of them on the short hike located near the Visitor Center. Find out more in our post about Unique Places to See in New Mexico.
The Journey Continues
White Sands National Park was the last destination for this trip through New Mexico. Next, our journey takes us to Arizona, one of our favorite states to visit. We are ready for hiking, cactus, cliff dwellings, and red rocks… be sure to follow along!
