White Sands National Park in New Mexico, USA - map, photos and visitor information

White Sands National Park protects gypsum dunes in southern New Mexico's Tularosa Basin. Dunes Drive takes you from the visitor center into the dunefield, with opportunities for short walks, photography, and sledding in permitted areas. Plan around heat, limited water, and the park's daily closing time.

Highlights in the gypsum dunes

• Dunes Drive: follow the park road into the white-sand landscape, using designated stopping places outside restricted areas.
• Interdune Boardwalk: experience the dunes from a raised, firm surface with interpretive signs and resting places.
• Sand sledding: try a suitable dune with a clear, gentle runout where the activity is permitted.
• Visitor center: learn how the dunefield and its wildlife developed before heading beyond the water-filling area.

Prepare for a day at White Sands

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Heat, navigation, and the safety corridor

Take at least 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water per person for a full day, as NPS recommends, and fill containers before entering the dunefield. Summer temperatures can exceed 100°F (38°C). NPS advises against starting a hike when the temperature reaches 85°F (29°C) or higher. Carry sun protection, snacks, and suitable layers for changing conditions.

Follow your trail's colored markers. If you cannot see the next marker, turn back rather than continuing into unfamiliar dunes. Wind can knock markers down and obscure your route. Do not rely entirely on phone reception.

A safety corridor extends from mile 3 to mile 5.5 of Dunes Drive. Stopping, parking, and getting out of a vehicle are prohibited there unless specifically authorized or directed by a law enforcement ranger. The area south of the road within that corridor is also closed to foot and other traffic. Check the current restrictions before choosing a stopping place.

Do not touch unfamiliar objects in the sand; unexploded ordnance can occur. Report anything suspicious to a ranger.

Care for dunes and share them safely

Leave plants, wildlife, and historic objects undisturbed. Follow closure signs even if other visitors appear to be entering an area. Keep picnic waste secure and remove everything you bring into the dunes.

Pets are allowed outdoors under physical control on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Collect their waste and bring water for them. Pets cannot enter the visitor center or other federal buildings, and must not be left unattended in a vehicle.

Overnight plans and special activities

There are no other park campgrounds to use while backcountry camping is closed. Arrange overnight accommodation outside the park instead of planning an evening arrival with a tent or RV.

Organized events and certain special activities need permits. Check the requirements for your specific activity before arranging it. Buying an entrance pass does not authorize entry into a closed area or participation in a separately booked program.

Finding White Sands from US 70

The visitor center and Dunes Drive entrance are directly off US 70, about 15 miles west of Alamogordo and between the highway's mile markers 199 and 200. Las Cruces is the other main approach from the west. Use the national park entrance rather than a destination inside White Sands Missile Range.

Dunes Drive extends 8 miles into the park, making a 16-mile return journey. The first half is paved and the rest is compacted gypsum sand. Weather can alter road conditions. Download the official park map and plan stops around posted restrictions.

No public transport serves the park, and NPS warns that rideshare drivers may drop visitors off without providing a return pickup. Arrange dependable return transport. Fill your vehicle before arrival; the park has no EV charging facilities.

Nearby state parks

• Oliver Lee Memorial State Park: an Alamogordo-area option for a separate park visit or camping base. Entrance construction is expected through December 2026, with the group area and dump station closed.
• Leasburg Dam State Park: a regional stop near Las Cruces at Radium Springs, practical when continuing toward the Rio Grande side of the trip.

Walking, sledding, and photographing the dunes

The Interdune Boardwalk is a half-mile round trip with benches and a covered resting area. It offers a firm route through the dune habitat, although blowing sand can sometimes block wheelchair access.

Marked dune hikes require more preparation than the boardwalk. Climbing loose sand adds effort, and the return route may look different as light and wind change. Ask a ranger which walk suits the temperature and your available time.

For sledding, select a gentle slope with a clear, level stopping area away from roads, parking, vegetation, and hard obstacles. Go feet first and supervise children. Sledding is prohibited at the Interdune Boardwalk and its surrounding dunes, and other closures still apply.

Photography works well as part of a short visit, but allow enough time to return before the gate closes. A sunset plan depends on the day's actual operating hours.

Water, toilets, parking, and accessible facilities

The visitor center has exhibits, a film, ranger information, and a park store. The adjacent Trading Post sells bottled water, packaged food, and sleds. Fill drinking-water containers here: there is no water supply out in the dunefield.

Main restrooms beside the visitor center follow its hours. Vault toilets are located along Dunes Drive, with accessible facilities at trailheads and picnic areas. Selected picnic shelters also have access features. The park provides no lodging.

The visitor center has accessible parking and ramps. Oversized vehicles have limited space in the front lot and cannot use the rear lot. Consult the mobility access details for parking, the boardwalk, toilets, and picnic shelters.

About White Sands National Park

A protected dunefield in a lived-in basin

White Sands became a national monument on January 18, 1933, and a national park on December 20, 2019. Its wider history includes Indigenous use of the basin, later ranching and resource extraction, and military activity nearby. The visitor-center district also preserves buildings constructed during the 1930s and early 1940s.

Life adapted to white sand

Many animals are active at night, so tracks can reveal more than a midday search for wildlife. Some species have pale coloration that helps them blend into the dunes. Birds, reptiles, and numerous invertebrates use this landscape despite its limited surface water. Observe without chasing or collecting animals.

Contact White Sands National Park

Call 575-479-6124 for park information. The physical address is 19955 Highway 70 West, Alamogordo, NM 88310. The mailing address is PO Box 1086, Holloman AFB, NM 88330. For US 70 military closure updates, NPS lists the missile range line at 575-678-1178.