White Sands National Monument is open daily year-round except for December 25, Christmas Day. This dune field is very dynamic, with the most active dunes moving to the northeast at a rate of up to 30 feet per year, while the more stable areas of sand move very little. • 1930: Robert Goddard began rocket testing in New Mexico. Look here for current operating hours. Park operating hours vary by season, and is occasionally closed for periods of time due to missile tests on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. In case of unexpected closures, the information will be made available, in order of priority, in the following media: Due to missile testing on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, it is occasionally necessary for visitor safety to close the road into the park for periods of up to three hours. Unlike other desert sands, it is cool to the touch, due to the high rate of evaporation of surface moisture and the fact that the sands reflect, rather than absorb, the sun's rays. - See 4,033 traveler reviews, 4,272 candid photos, and great deals for New Mexico, at Tripadvisor. The map reports that there are several trails here. Read all 4,032 reviews Like an ocean wave of rare white crystal gypsum sand-White Sands National Monument in the desert of New Mexico is known for dramatic landscapes of rare white gypsum sand dunes.In 2019 White Sands Nat... White Sands National Monument (park) is an awesome and unbelievable place. Get Directions (575) 674-1064. The stakes … Stop by the visitor center to explore the store or shop online where popular collectables can be found. Public School in White Sands, New Mexico. Coronavirus update (June 30th): All areas and facilities in White Sands National Park are open West of Alamogordo , a vast area of desert and mountain ranges 100 by 40 miles in extent is closed to public access and used by the military for various kinds of weapons testing; this includes the Trinity Site where the first atomic bomb was detonated, in July 1945. Occasionally the road into the park can close due to missile testing. NPS Photo. 1 Viking St (1,684.71 mi) White Sands, NM 88002. SAVE! When restrictions lift, expect sunset concerts, star parties, and campouts. White Sands National Park protects the world’s largest geologically unique gypsum dunefield and the flora and fauna living within it. New Mexico Department of Transportation Road Conditions. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. As a result, this website may not contain the most current and up-to-date closure information. As always, here you can find all kinds of information and see maps with a description of the park. The dunes are beautiful, definitely get out and walk around. Photo about Open road leading to White Sands area in New Mexico. The program is available for all ages and can be completed during even a short visit. While the dunes, trails, and picnic areas are still open, the visitor center and gift shop are closed. Admission is $20 per vehicle or $15 per person (if only one adult is in a vehicle), good for seven days. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, access to White Sands National Park is as follows: Open: Dunes Area, Hiking Trails, Picnic Areas, Visitor Center and Gift Shop (both with walk-up tables) Closed: Backcountry Camping and Park Ranger Programs A fossil trackway of footprints of humans and ground sloths found at White Sands and dating from the last ice age shows that ground sloths were hunted by humans at least 11,700 years ago. Details of this discovery will be informing history for generations, archaeologists say. Hours of operation vary throughout the year. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. White Sands National Monument, New Mexico: See 4,033 reviews, articles, and 4,272 photos of White Sands National Monument, ranked No.7 on Tripadvisor among 1,353 attractions in New Mexico. 4.8 out of 5 stars. - See 4,032 traveler reviews, 4,266 candid photos, and great deals for New Mexico, at Tripadvisor. About See All. Tour the Native Plant Garden. Open Now. Safety should be your top concern when visiting White Sands. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along … The sand is not actually white and doesn’t act like “sand” either. Contact White Sands Schools on … Projectil… During the winter and occasionally throughout the year, the park may unexpectedly close due to unsafe road or extreme weather conditions. See Tripadvisor's White Sands, NM hotel deals and special prices on 30+ hotels all in one spot. You can drive up to 16 miles in a loop to view the dunes. Do you want to become a Junior Ranger? Visitors on a tight schedule are encouraged to check the park closure web page the day before arrival to confirm hours of operation. After a terribly disappiointing visit to Roswell New Mexico, White Sands was a refreshing change! Look here for the latest information. 236 to verify that a closure is not in effect. More:New Mexico Sen. Heinrich, Congresswoman Torres Small celebrate White Sands designation (Story continues below.) White Sands National Park is open daily year-round except for December 25, Christmas Day. 4.8. White Sands National Park Some White Sands experiences are currently unavailable, but the park is open. 832 were here. Below is the detailed listing of the park and visitor center opening and closing hours for the current year. Get to know New Mexico's White Sands, the country's newest national park WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK, N.M. — I didn’t expect to be hugged today, let alone three times. The shopping destination for Otero County! White Sands Missile Range Military White Sands, New Mexico 411 followers The Defense Department's largest, fully-instrumented, open-air test range with … 227 check-ins. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here. White Sands National Monument: Dazzling white magical white beauty! There are approximately 275 total square miles of dune fields here, with 115 square miles (about 40%) located within White Sands National Monument. At 1185 meters above sea level, there are … Gypsum is actually a clear … Below is the detailed listing of the monument and visitor center opening and closing hours for the current year. The desert is located in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico. The wind brushes the endless sands into gentle ripples, creating an otherworldly landscape. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. Paleo-Indians inhabited the shoreline of Lake Otero, a large lake that covered much of the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. White Sands National Park is also seeing some closures. They used stone from the mountains to create projectile points, known as Folsom and Plano points, and attached them to spears for hunting mammoths, camels, ground sloths, and bison. At 275 square miles, White Sands is the world's largest gypsum dune field. The longest fossilized human trackway has been discovered at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. White sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see at this unique desert in southern New Mexico. Our goal is to provide educational, research, and recreational opportunities compatible with the protection of the resources and maintenance of the solitude and silence of the dunes. Its white sands are not composed of quartz, like most desert sands, but of gypsum and calcium sulfate. Park staff will do their best to notify the public of closures via other available means. Sharing all the important information about White Sands National Park in New Mexico along with 10 photos to inspire your trip there soon. My teenager had fun surfing the dunes and was thrilled to see fighter jets flying in amazing formations above the dunes and mountains. Find the perfect hotel within your budget with reviews from real travelers. 365 people like this. Operating Hours & Seasons. Visitors are encouraged to call the visitor center at (575) 479-6124 ext. Hours of operation vary throughout the year. Like No Place Else on Earth. New Mexico State Parks to … Photo about Open road leading to White Sands area in New Mexico. White Sands Missile Range, DoD's largest, fully-instrumented, open air range, provides America's Armed Forces, allies, partners, and defense technology innovators with the world's premiere research, development, test, evaluation (RDT&E), experimentation, and training facilities to ensure our nation's defense readiness. The remainder is on military land that is not open to the public. Camping at the White Sands National Monument is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 378 people follow this. Learn more about the plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert … White Sands National Park hours change throughout the seasons. Image of highway, plant, center - 91996116 White Sands National Monument: Must see! One of them - Walk along the dunes (Interdune boardwalk) - was closed on the day of our arrival. 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