White Sands National Park Travel Guide
White Sands is one of the newest and most unique national parks in the country.
White Sands is exactly what it sounds like— a huge expanse of white sand, actually gypsum, which is a substance found in toothpaste and drywall. This gypsum dune field is nearly 275 square miles large, which is so huge that it can be seen from space.
I know it might not sound super exciting, but I can’t overestimate how beautiful and majestic it is to look upon miles and miles of gleaming white sand dunes. You can see for yourself in our travel video of White Sands here.
Here are some White Sands specs.
White Sands National Park Zimmerman Quick Stats
Size: Nearly 275 square miles, which is so huge that it can be seen from space
Location: White sands is 220 miles south of Albuquerque, NM.
Created In: White Sands was established as a national monument in 1933, but just recently became a national park in December 2019.
Best For: Backcountry camping, bicycling, driving dunes, hiking, picnicking, sledding.
What We Did: Dune sledding, the Dunes Drive, the Sunset Stroll, and take a drive to Ruidoso
What we did:
Our first stop was the visitor’s center to get our Jr. Ranger activity books for the kids and snag our passport stamps.
Then, we headed out to the Interdune Boardwalk, which is an elevated boardwalk (yes, like at the beach!) that leads you through a scenic journey of the dune field and the surrounding Sacramento mountains.
There are ten outdoor exhibits along the way that teach you about the wildlife in the dunes. The walk is .4 mile round trip and is easy for most families.
After our walk along the dunes, we ate lunch at one of the most beautiful picnic areas, which you can check out in our White Sands Vlog that drops tomorrow. It’s called the Roadrunner Picnic Area, and it provides a perfect spot to rest up and fuel up.
We needed the energy, because the next activity was dune sledding!
Dune Sledding Details
We stayed at the KOA Alamogordo, and they provided free sand sleds for the kids. We went two days in a row to the park because my kids had so much fun. My kids just wanted to sled down the dunes and play in the sand. It’s kind of like when you get your kids a fancy toy, and they just want to play with the box. All it took was some giant sand dunes and a plastic sled to keep the kids occupied for two days.
As far as the sleds are concerned, you can either bring your own, borrow free sand sleds (first come, first served,) or purchase sleds from the visitor’s center. The visitor’s center sleds are expensive.
They have a buy-back program, but you have to keep the center’s closing time in mind. If you arrive before it opens or after it closes, you’ll be out of luck! Make sure you check the hours before you arrive, as they change from season to season.
Regardless, find a way to get a sled!
Here’s a tip!
Make sure you bring wax for your sled! The sleds will not go down the sand without wax. And you’ll have to wax them frequently, so make sure you bring enough. There is nothing sadder than a kid who is expecting to fly through the sand and is instead stuck on a on a sled that won’t move.
For us, the sleds were entertaining for 2-3 hours.
As parents, we brought chairs. Again, it’s basically a beach day with no water.
Wax. Sleds. Time. Stay for sunset. Those are the essentials.
And yes, you will get sand in your pants. There is no way around it.
The Dunes Drive
The scenic dunes drive is around eight miles one way. Round-trip, the drive will take you around 45 minutes without stops along the 16 miles. Although, you’ll find plenty of reasons to stop. There are hiking trails, picnic areas, sledding spots, and vault toilets.
We didn’t have sand toys because we went in the winter and there were no sand toys for sale anywhere, and we didn’t think sand toys were something that deserved a permanent spot in our 200 square foot Airstream. But we improvised and bought mixing bowls, mixing spoons, measuring cups, etc. to help with our sand play!
My kids played in the sand for two days. I brought one of my top favorite things to have on a trip like this, my Bose portable speaker and listened to music.
Again, like a traditional beach day, we brought food and had a picnic on the dunes while listening to music and watching the kids play in the sand. We staked our claim at Area 19, which I highly recommend.
And make sure you stay for the sunset!
Other Options:
The Sunset Stroll is a ranger-guided tour through the dunes at sunset. It offers gorgeous views and you will learn more about the geology and wildlife in the park. These are held daily one hour before sunset, and you do not need a reservation. Meet at the sunset stroll parking area sign about 5 miles past the entrance.
Bonus!
Take a drive to Ruidoso. It’s a beautiful ski resort town. It’s one of my favorite towns I’ve driven through while traveling full time. It’s only about an hour drive from White Sands National Park.
When to Go:
The best time to visit is probably late October or early November when the Cottonwoods are changing color. By mid-November, most of the Cottonwoods have changed color.
In the winter, temperatures can get below freezing and summers bring hot daytime temperatures and dramatic weather. Spring is pretty windy. Wind and sand are not a good mix.
Where Did We Stay?
Again, we stayed at the KOA.
Where to Eat:
We packed a great lunch and plenty of snacks. Kids carry their own food and water in their backpacks.
Here’s a list of what I take to every national park.
Fun Fact:
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is less than a three hour drive from White Sands National Park.
Carlsbad Cavern National Park is just a little over three hour drive from White Sands National Park.
If you plan on traveling to two national parks in one year, it is worth it to purchase the Annual Pass. We purchased ours in our home state at the Hot Springs National Park, but you can buy them at any National Park.
Is this a fun park for kids?
They are playing and sliding down the sand all day. Yeah, they love it!
It’s a win-win. You get the fun of the beach day without any worry surrounding how well your kids can or can’t swim.
And we always do the Jr. Ranger Program.
This is such a great way to get the kids involved and really get excited about the park. You can go on the park website and download all the information and resources and print it beforehand so you can learn about it with your kids before you go. Then you’d turn your booklet into a ranger at the visitors center and receive your Jr. Ranger pins, or you can wait until you get to the National Park (that’s what we do), and receive a beautifully colorful workbook, do the activities while at the National Park, then head back to the visitors center (before they close) and receive the pins.
Either is great! We love the workbook the parks provide, and it means we don’t have to figure out where to get the content printed.
Here’s what I bought to make this even more fun for the kids
White Sands National Park Passport Stamp Location:
White Sands National Park Visitor Center
19955 US-70, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Ok - here’s the truth. I’m kind of a nerd about this. I think it dates back to when I was twenty-five and had never been anywhere, and I flew to Europe and received my first passport stamp.
To this day, that old passport is one of my most treasured possessions. Each stamp burns a memory and I love to think back on the time away whenever I see those stamps.
So naturally, I’m all about the fact that you can get a passport stamp at each and every National Park. Just walk into the visitors center; there is usually the stamp and ink sitting out for self-use. I have passports for each member of the family.
Purchase yours here.
