White Sands National Monument

White Sands National Monument Highlights

The largest gypsum dune field in the world, White Sands National Monument occupies 300 square miles of soft white sand with dunes that rise and change in the prevailing winds. The monument is surrounded by the desert of the Tularosa Basin and is flanked by the Sacramento and San Andres mountain ranges. The visitor center, at the beginning of the 16-mile loop through the park, offers a fascinating introduction to the formation and history of the dunes, as well as to the plants and animals that live among them: spadefoot toads, hognose snakes, kangaroo rats, Cactus Wrens, ocotillo, cholla, and yucca.
Camping in the park is allowed only at the one primitive backcountry campsite about a mile from the main road. A permit and clearance from park headquarters are required.
The 180-acre Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, named for a 19^th century cattle baron, is just east of White Sands and 12 miles south of Alamogordo. Set in a box canyon where Mescalero Apaches once fought the U.S. Cavalry, the park has tent and RV sites as well as a small visitor center.
At the remote Aguirre Springs Campground on the east side of the Organ Mountains you'll find sites with picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and pit toilets. The Pine Tree and Baylor Pass trails start here. Area visitors over the years have included a number of famous and infamous westerners, including Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid. Take Highway 70 east from Las Cruces and watch for the signs.

By Travel Expert: Steve Metzger

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