One of the newer national parks, White Sands National Park is a great place to visit in New Mexico. It is located in the southwestern part of the state and is a bit of a drive from any major city. However, spending one day at White Sands National Park is so worth it. The park is composed of 145,762 acres of white sand that is made of gypsum crystals, thus giving it the white look. Full of gorgeous scenery, White Sands should be part of any New Mexico itinerary.
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History of White Sands National Park
11,700 years ago during the ice age, the White Sands area was inhabited by sloths. Later, the Paleo-Indians settled in the area. Later, the Archaic people took over, followed by the Apaches. In the 1600s, the Spanish set up a colony in Santa Fe and began to spread across New Mexico. They used the Alkali Flats area to gather salts. Throughout the years, various people can and went to the area. In 1898, the idea was first brought up to create the area into a National Monument. On January 18, 1933, White Sands officially became a National Monument and on December 20, 2019, White Sands became a National Park.
Best Time to Visit
Fall and spring are the best times to spend one day at White Sands National Park. During the summertime, the temperatures can reach over 100 degrees, which is way too hot for any of the hikes. In wintertime, it can be windy and cold which is not conducive for spending time exploring.
How to Get to White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park is located in Southwestern New Mexico. You will need a car to get here. The closest airport to White Sands is El Paso Airport. You could also opt to fly into Albuquerque if embarking on a New Mexico road trip. I recommend using Autoslash to book your rental car as I always find the best price there.
From Alamogordo, head west on the 70. You will see the visitor’s center on the right hand side.
From Las Cruces, take the 70 east towards Alamogordo. 52 miles later, you will see the visitor’s center on the left-hand side.
Transportation Around White Sands National Park
White Sands has one main road in and around the park. You will need a car to get around during one day at White Sands. This road goes for 8 miles and loops around to turn back at the end of the park.
Hours and Admission
White Sands National Park is open daily from 7am-8pm. It costs $15/person or $25/car to get into the park. Visiting more than one National Park in a year? Opt to buy the America the Beautiful Pass to save on costs! This $80 pass provides admission into all of the National Park sites for one year.
**Make sure to check the National Park website ahead of time to see if the park is closed due to missile testing. This randomly happens several times a year.
Where to Stay
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best National Park hotels here!
The closest town to White Sands National Park is Alamogordo. It takes about 15 minutes to get from Alamogordo to White Sands. This is the best choice of where to stay if you are only going to stay one night. It takes a little over 3 hours to get to Alamogordo from Albuquerque. Alamogordo has a good Hampton Inn to stay at.
You can also opt to stay in Las Cruces, New Mexico. From Las Cruces, it will take you about an hour to get into the park. Las Cruces is a bit larger city and is a cheaper option than Alamogordo. Other options include El Paso (1.5 hour drive) or Ruducio Downs (1 hour drive).
We opted to spend one night in Las Cruces at the Hampton Inn since we drove there from Tucson and then spent a second night in Ruidoso Downs at the Hampton Inn since we were continuing to Roswell and Carlsbad afterward.
What to See During One Day at White Sands National Park
One day at White Sands National Park is the perfect amount of time to spend. You can see everything in the park in one day. If you choose note to hike, you will need even less time.
Day 1
Alkali Flat Trail
Distance: 5-mile loop
Start your one day at White Sands National Park with the longest and most strenuous hike in the park: The Alkali Flat Trail. This hike is not for the weak! It is a VERY strenuous hike up and down endless sand dunes (not flat at all). It is totally worth it for the views, but you must prepare yourself mentally and physically before you go on it. The Alkali Flat Trail is one of the hardest hikes I have done (including the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon and the Narrows in Zion). Plan to spend around 3 hours completing this hike.
The trail is clearly marked along the way with red diamonds. However, sometimes these signs get blown over, or it could be difficult to see the next one. Pay close attention to the trail to ensure you do not drift off the path.
This is not a hike to do when it is hot out as there is no shade or water stops along the trail. It is also recommended not to hike this trail alone. It may also be windy, so make sure your eyes are protected and you have a warm jacket.
If you do not want to hike the entire loop, opt to at least hike a little way out to get some great photos at the top of the dunes.
Alternate Option: Dune Life Nature Trail
Distance: 1-mile loop
If you do not want to complete the Alkali Flat Trail, you can opt to hike the Dune Life Nature Trail. This trail is a mile loop and you only have to climb two sand dunes. The path is marked with blue clubs. Although not as picturesque, it is a good alternative for people who are not able to hike the Alkali Flat Trail. This trail usually takes people an hour to complete.
Alternate Option: Backcountry Camping Trail
Distance: 2-mile loop
The Backcountry Camping Trail takes visitors out to the camping area. Other visitors can also use this hike as an alternative to the Alkali Flat Trail. Orange spades mark this trail through the sand dunes. Note that like the Alkali Flat Trail, this is a trail where you hike over many dunes, and there is no shade or water along the trail. Plan to spend an hour and a half completing this trail.
Sled down the Sand Dunes
After eating some lunch, opt to continue your day with some sledding! Sledding is a common activity during one day at White Sands National Park. Many of the hotels you stay at will have plastic sleds you can borrow. You can also sometimes buy one at Wal-Mart. The visitor’s center sells sleds for $20 or $15 if you want to buy a used one. You can return them at the end of the day for $4. The more entrepreneurial type can sell it to the people waiting in line at the visitor’s center to buy one.
Interdune Boardwalk
Distance: 0.4-mile (round trip) out and back
Continue your one day at White Sands with a short trail: The Interdune Boardwalk. This is the perfect trail for people who do not like hiking. This accessible boardwalk takes you on a short walk to see some small sand dunes. Along the way, there are displays where you can learn about local geology, plants, and animals. Plan to spend about 20 minutes on this trail.
Playa Trail
Distance: 0.5-mile (round trip) out and back
End your one day at White Sands with another short hike, the Playa trail. This flat trail also contains exhibits to learn about the area. Note you will not see any sand dunes on this hike.
Shaka Guide
Shaka Guide is a GPS self-guided audio tour that you can download to your phone. Currently, they have one for several of the National Parks. They provide great background information about the area. The best part is you do not need the internet to use them.
Tips for Spending One Day at White Sands National Park
- Make sure to pack a lunch to take with you. There is no food available in the park.
- Bring and drink plenty of water. This is the desert, so it is quite dry and windy out!
- Bring and use lots of chapstick. I forgot mine in the car and my lips got so chapped.
- Sunglasses or goggles are a must to keep the sand out of your eyes during the Alkali flats hike. It also helps protect from the sun/wind.
- Plan on everything you wear getting sandy.
- Sometimes, walking on the sand dunes was easier barefoot.
One Day at White Sands National Park is a great addition to any New Mexico trip. It is an easy National Park to see in one day and is one of the more unique National Parks. If you have more time, head to see Carlsbad Caverns National Park or head west to the awesome city of Tucson and the wine region of Willcox.
9 thoughts on “One Day at White Sands National Park: A Unique Desert Experience”
Wow, White Sands National Park looks incredible! The sand looks so white I almost mistook it for snow in some of your photographs! It looks like such an incredible landscape, I’d love to explore it! Sledding on the dunes looks so much fun! Thanks for the great guide!
Wow, this looks stunning! I would love to visit. Mental bookmark for later 🙂
Oh this place looks incredible. I’ve never heard of it before but now I really want to visit. I’ve never been to a place anything like this before, so thank you for sharing.
Love how beautiful this park looks. The park pass is a great deal for someone interested in national parks. I would love to sled down the save dunes. Thanks for the tip to bring food .
Wow, this place looks epic. I would love to go sledding down those dunes. Did that in New Zealand and it was great fun!
I’ve always been fascinated by this park, from the days when they used to land the Space Shuttle here. Great post, thanks for sharing!
I’ve always wanted to go to White Sands National Park and it’s so great you can get a taste of it in one day. Alkali Flat Trail looks amazing, but you’re right walking 5 miles in the sand is no joke. I know I would totally give it a go, but make sure to stay in Alamogordo and get a refreshing beer after. It looks awesome, saving this for when I’m state side again!
I wasn’t familiar with this park, so you opened my eyes to something new. Your photos are gorgeous and ideally I would love to hike the Alkali Flats trail. I certainly appreciate your fair warnings about the difficulty of the terrain. Also nice tips on where to stay, how to get there, and the descriptions of the various trail options.
Wow! Some of your photos make it look like snowy hills which is amazing. I would love to visit and see the white sand in person.