White Sands National Monument is about 45 minutes NE of Las Cruces, NM and it is truly a gem! If you ever find yourself in this area, it is most definitely worth a visit. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your 24-hour visit.
White Sands National Monument
8:30-8:45 a.m.: Arrive at the White Sands National Monument Visitor Center because it opens at 9:00 a.m. and you need to be one of the first 10 groups in line to get your backcountry camping permit. If you see people standing in line by the door, go join and claim your spot!
9:00 a.m.: You get to choose your backcountry campsite based on the order you arrived. Really, all the sites are good (decently spread out with dunes in between), but we think the best sites for watching the sunset are 4 and 5 and the best sites for watching the sunrise are 7 and 10. Of note, the outer sites are 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 (better) and the inside sites are 1, 3, 8, and 9 (not quite as good). Here is a picture of the site we stayed at:
Our backcountry campsite – not too bad right?
9:10 a.m.: Once you have your campsite paperwork filled out and official, head right to the gift shop which is in the same building as the visitor’s center. Here you can buy sleds! We recommend buying the used ones because they are cheaper and work just as well. DO NOT FORGET TO BUY WAX (more on this soon)! The gift shop will buy back the sleds and wax for a portion of what you paid, so this helps cut the cost too.
9:20 a.m.: Now it’s time to head into the park. You will drive through a welcome gate. Here you need to pay a daily fee or use your National Park Card (these are $80 and totally worth it if you plan to visit several national parks, monuments, forests, etc. in one year). You will also pay for camping here. As of April 2018, it’s only $3 for adults and $1.50 for kids, so quite economical. Make sure you pick up a map as you are making these transactions.
9:30 a.m.: Drive all the way to the far end of the park on your map. Park in the Alkali Flat Trail parking lot. This is where the trailhead to the longest trail in White Sands is. We recommend doing this trail right away because it is the most challenging and it will be coolest right away in the morning. This trail is decently hilly with dunes that take the energy out of you, so make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses and bring plenty of water and snacks. This hike took us about two hours without any long breaks on a cool morning, so budget three hours if a sweltering day.
Running hills!
And “floating” down hills
Running hills!
And “floating” down hills
12:30 p.m.: Head to the Heart of the Sands picnic areas to eat some lunch under a shelter for some shade.
1:00 p.m.: Next, we recommend you knock out the few short hikes in the park. These are all a short driving distance back toward the visitor center. The Interdune Boardwalk is ~2000 ft, the Dune Life Nature Trail is ~1 mile, and the Playa Trail is ~1200 ft. These are all easy hikes that have educational boards to read every couple hundred feet. After these three trails, if you’re running short on water/food, head back to the gift shop to fill up.
3:00 p.m.: After seeing most of the park by now, you should have scoped out some good sledding spots! Grab your sleds from the car, look for the tallest, steepest dunes you can find (there are even some right at the edges of the parking lots), and have some fun.
Tips for sledding: Wax your board before every run. It’s annoying, but very worth it! Plow your own track (or find someone else’s), and then keep going down the same track. Get creative with your style!
Sand sledding!
More sand sledding!
Sand boarding!
Sand sledding!
More sand sledding!
Sand boarding!
5:00 p.m.: Now it’s time to go find your campsite and get set up! Drive to the Backcountry Camping Area parking lot. Head to your camping site which will be about one mile and set up camp (your permit has a map on it). Then we recommend finishing out the backcountry loop, but this time without your gear and without shoes (yes, walk the dunes barefoot because it’s awesome)!
Depending on the time of year, make sure you make it back to your campsite about an hour before sunset. Find a spot at the top of a dune using a beach towel/blanket and cozy up to watch one of the prettiest sunsets you’ve ever seen!
Now it’s time to enjoy the stars away from the city lights! Most people enjoy them from the warmth of their tents as the temperature dips quickly after sunset. Check the sunrise time, so you can catch a glimpse of the sunrise too!
A beautiful sunset in the dunes
And a breath-taking sunrise seen from our campsite!
A beautiful sunset in the dunes
And a breath-taking sunrise seen from our campsite!
Finally, it’s time to pack up and head out. If you want the gift shop to buy back your sled and wax, it opens at 9:00 a.m.
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Travel Blog
Be the first to read about our new adventures and recent travel tips!
We do not share or sell our email list.
See our Privacy Policy below.
What wonderful trips and great photos. I never pushed to see all of these places in NM when I was younger and wish now that I had. I was born and raised in Albuquerque and we have such a wonderful state. Now that I live in Kentucky I have been coming back to see some of the sites. I have put some of our photos on my blog if you are interested.
Thank you! IT’s fun to share pictures and ideas! We’ll be sure to check out your blog too.