Sand dunes often evoke fond childhood memories of building sand castles, burying your feet in the sand, and soaking up the warm sunshine reflecting off the glistening grains. Luckily, there is a National Park in New Mexico perfectly suited for the child at heart, no matter your age!
A National Park where you can let your inner child’s imagination run free as you sled and surf down lofty sand dunes, as well as take on some more challenging adventures, like hiking in the remote backcountry, exploring evaporated lakes littered with crystals, and camping beneath a stunning night sky!
You can do all these things and more when you check out the best things to do in White Sands National Park!
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What to Know Before You Go to White Sands National Park
- Location: southern New Mexico, in between the cities of Alamogordo, NM, and Las Cruces, NM
- Hours: White Sands National Park is open daily except for Christmas. The park opens daily at 7 AM, but closing times vary depending on the season ( 9 PM in summer, 8 PM in fall and spring, and 7 PM in winter). For exact dates on seasonal closure change, visit the park website HERE.
- Entrance Fees: $25 per vehicle (good for 7 consecutive days)
- Closest Cities/Towns: Alamogordo, NM (~20 minute drive), and Las Cruces, NM (~50 minute drive)
- Closest Airport: Las Cruces International Airport (~50 minute drive)
- Closest Lodging: there are larger chain hotels, smaller boutique hotels, and vacation rentals available in both Alamogordo and Las Cruces.
- Camping: there are no developed campgrounds within White Sands National Park, but backcountry primitive camping is available with a permit. There are also alternative places to camp nearby, such as Holloman Lake or Oliver Lee State Park.
- Pet Policy: Leashed pets are welcome at White Sands National Park! Never leave unattended pets in vehicles, and be sure to follow Leave No Trace when it comes to animal waste!
- Permits: Permits are not required for hiking or day use in White Sands National Park. Permits are only required for overnight backcountry camping within the park.
- Best Time of Year to Visit: Fall – Spring
*Exercise caution if you are planning to visit White Sands National Park in the summer. Daytime temperatures typically average near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but can often exceed this! Also, the strength of the sun is magnified when reflecting off of the sand. If you do plan to visit, visit early in the morning! Bring plenty of water, and protection for the sun in the form of sunscreen and a head covering.
- Additional Tips: due to the park’s close proximity to the White Sands Missile Range, there are occasional closures due to missile testing. Always check the park’s website for closures and alerts when planning your trip and before arriving.
The Best Things to Do in White Sands National Park
The best things to do in White Sands National Park include sand sledding, hiking, and camping!
Sand Sledding at White Sands National Park
In a park composed nearly entirely of sand dunes, it should be no surprise that arguably the most popular attraction at White Sands National Park is sand sledding! Perfect for entire families, children, adults, and pets, sledding on the dunes is easy to do! Just bring your own sled, or rent one from the Visitor Center upon arrival.
The best sand dunes for sledding are at the end of the main park road, the scenic Dunes Drive. There is ample parking, bathroom facilities, and picnic locations along Dunes Drive right by the sled-able sand dunes. When you spot a dune you want to sled on, just park, grab your sled, and get to sand sledding!
The Best Hikes at White Sands National Park
Another unique way to experience White Sands National Park is by hiking one of its 6 park trails. These trails range in length from a few tenths of a mile, to 6 miles roundtrip in the backcountry. There is something for everyone, every age, and every ability on the White Sands National Park trails, including nature walks, boardwalks, and challenging dune trails!
You may be wondering, how exactly do you hike a trail in hot weather and through sand dunes? The park has made locating and navigating its trails simple by coding and labeling each different trail with a designated color and symbol. You simply have to look for the colored and labeled markers to be able to follow all the trails in the park, even in the middle of sand dunes. Below are the color and symbol codes for all the hiking trails in the park!
- Alkali Flat Trail: Red Diamonds
- Dune Life Nature Trail: Blue Spades
- Interdune Boardwalk Trail: none (no need for trail navigating as trail is all boardwalk)
- Playa Trail: Green Hearts
- White Sands Backcountry Trail: Orange Spades
#1: Alkali Flat Trail
Quick Facts on the Alkali Flat Trail
Length: 4.4 mile roundtrip loop
Rating: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 52 feet
Estimated Time to Complete: 2 hours
Trail Marker: Red diamonds
Parking: there is parking available at the trailhead
Facilities: there is a bathroom available at the trailhead
The Alkali Flat Trail is the longest, most challenging, and most secluded hike in the entire park. This can be a huge draw for adventurous hikers, but it is also a trail that necessitates extra preparation, caution, and alertness.
Though the Alkali Flat Trail is very well marked, it is still a backcountry wilderness full of a sea of very similar looking sand dunes, so there are not a lot of distinguishable landmarks to help orient you, besides the purple Sacramento Mountains in the background. So if you plan to hike the Alkali Flat Trail, make sure that you have all necessary day hiking gear, plenty of water, and a reliable form of trail map or route finding.
Hiking the Alkali Flat Trail is about the closest you can get to exploring an alien planet. Surrounded by deafening silence, looking out over a horizon of stark white dunes, and traversing hills of shifting sand. This is the perfect one of a kind hike you can’t find anywhere else in the country, for those looking for a truly unique experience in White Sands National Park!
Get a full trail report on the Alkali Flat Trail HERE!
#2: The Dune Life Nature Trail
Quick Facts on the Dune Life Nature Trail
Length: 1 mile roundtrip loop
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 0 “official” feet, but there are several constantly shifting dunes that have to be climbed
Estimated Time to Complete: 20 minutes
Trail Marker: Blue spades
Parking: there is parking available at the trailhead
Facilities: there are bathrooms available near the trailhead
Exploring the trails at White Sands National Park isn’t just about taking in the unique scenery, it is also about understanding the ecosystem, environment, and wildlife that exists here. Several of the shorter hiking trails in White Sands National Park do a superb job of educating visitors along the way with informational signs and insights into the geography and life forms of the park. The Dune Life Nature Trail is one of these hikes.
It is a family friendly hike with plenty of chances to see the dunes, watch for signs of wildlife, and learn more about the background of White Sands National Park by reading the signs.
#3: The Interdune Boardwalk Trail
Quick Facts on the Interdune Boardwalk Trail
Length: 0.4 miles roundtrip out and back
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 0 feet
Trail Marker: None
Estimated Time to Complete: 10 minutes
Parking: there is parking near the trailhead
Facilities: there are bathrooms near the trailhead
The Interdune Boardwalk Trail is another great example of a family friendly hike that is suitable for all ages and abilities, with plenty to see and learn about along the way. This entire trail is composed of boardwalk, and there is a shaded canopy section about midway on the hike.
#4: The Playa Trail
Quick Facts on the Playa Trail
Length: 0.4 miles roundtrip out and back
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 0 feet
Trail Marker: Green hearts
Parking: there is parking near the trailhead
Facilities: there are bathrooms near the trailhead
The Playa Trail gets its name from its unique “playa” environment, which is constantly changing based on the seasons and weather. You may see varying colors, pools of water, and even crystals along the way.
This trail also has plenty of informational signage to learn from, just like White Sand National Park’s other short, family friendly trails.
#5: The White Sands Backcountry Trail
Quick Facts on the White Sands Backcountry Trail
Length: 1.8 miles roundtrip loop
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 6 feet
Trail Marker: Orange spades
Parking: there is parking near the trailhead
Facilities: there are bathrooms near the trailhead
If you are planning to backcountry camp, this is the hiking trail you will utilize. But even if you are not primitive camping, you can still enjoy this mid range hike through the sand dunes. This trail is a great alternative for those who aren’t up for the full length of the Alkali Flat Trail, and would like a shorter yet still secluded option in the backcountry of the park.
#6: The Lake Lucero Trail
Quick Facts on the Lake Lucero Trail
Length: 1.6 miles roundtrip out and back
Rating: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 75 feet
Parking: there is parking available at the trailhead
Facilities: there are portable bathrooms available at the trailhead
This is the only trail in the park that you have to hike as a guided tour, due to the fragile environment. You can reserve a spot on the park website HERE. Though you can’t hike this trail independently, it is absolutely worth the visit, as Lake Lucero is one of the most fascinating areas of White Sands National Park.
Ironically, there is no lake on the Lake Lucero Trail. What is now there is the aftermath of a long ago lake, but it is still fascinating to see the hidden remnants in this seemingly barren expanse of desert. If you look closely, you can see clusters of selenite crystals, exposed and glittering in the sun, or unique desert arroyo formations!
Additional Guided Hikes in White Sands National Park
The Lake Lucero hike is not the only guided option in the park. If you are interested in taking part in a ranger led hike or program, there are several options available.
There are full moon hikes, which, as the name implies, are ranger led hikes under a full moon! These hikes are offered once a month from the months of March through November. You can check out the complete full moon hikes schedule HERE. Advance tickets are required to participate in a guided full moon hike.
In addition to full moon hikes, there is another way to experience the best of White Sands National Park trails, from a different perspective. Enjoy one of the most gorgeous sunsets imaginable on a guided sunset stroll. These free ranger guided strolls occur daily, and do not require reservations. This is considered an easy, approximately 1 mile long walk.
Camping at White Sands National Park
There are no developed campgrounds within White Sands National Park, but there is backcountry primitive camping allowed, which is an even more natural and raw way to sleep outside on the dunes in the wilderness of White Sands National Park!
To access the primitive camping spots, campers will want to take the White Sands Backcountry Trail loop. The primitive camping spots are located on this trail.
A permit is required to backcountry camp in the park, so be sure to acquire one from the Visitor Center when you arrive.
Other Nearby Attractions
If you are looking to add on to your adventures in White Sands National Park, luckily there are a handful of exciting options nearby!
You can knock out BOTH of New Mexico’s National Parks with a visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located only 3 hours east of White Sands National Park. Also at only 3 hours away,, you can check off THREE National Parks in the Southwest, by adding on a stop to Texas’s Guadalupe Mountains National Park!
Author Bio:
Kristen Czudak is the author and adventurer behind Yonderlust Ramblings. If you are looking for a different kind of vacation, active travel is the answer! Discover just how far your own two feet can take you!The enchanting sand dunes can offer much more attractions than you might think. Check out tips on what to do in White Sands National Park!