White Sands National Monument Overview

At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain-ringed valley known as the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of this basin is one of the world's great natural wonders--the glistening white sands of New Mexico.

Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum cover nearly 300 square miles of desert. The dunes are ever-changing; growing, cresting, then slumping, but always advancing. Slowly, relentlessly, the sand covers all.

White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of the world's largest gypsum dune field, along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this harsh environment.

Travelers to southern New Mexico are invited to explore this vast undulating landscape of brilliant white sand.For an in-depth history and detailed tour of the area, click here.

Visiting the Monument
Getting There: White Sands National Monument is located along U.S. Highway 70/82, 15 miles west of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces. The Monument is 100 miles from El Paso, via either Alamogordo or Las Cruces.

Hours of Operation: The Monument is open daily, except Christmas. Summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day): Visitor Center 8 AM - 7 PM, Dunes Drive 7 AM - 10 PM. Winter hours: Visitor Center 8 AM - 4:30 PM, Dunes Drive 7 AM - sunset.

Park Closures: Due to missile testing on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, it is occasionally necessary, for visitor safety, to close the Dunes Drive for periods of up to two hours. Visitors on a tight schedule are encouraged to call ahead for information on closures.

Food and Lodging: There is no dining or lodging within the Monument. The nearest restaurants and motels are in Alamogordo, 15 miles east. Refreshments and snacks can be purchased at the Visitor Center Gift Shop from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. (Summer 8:30 AM - 6 PM.)

Disabled Visitors: All facilities in the Visitor Center and Picnic Area are wheelchair accessible. The sand dunes are accessible to wheelchairs to a limited degree.

Picnicking and Camping : Picnic areas with sheltered tables are located at the end of the scenic drive, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No water is available anywhere along the dunes drive.

There are no campgrounds in the park. Both public and private campgrounds are available in the area. A backcountry campsite is available in the park. Please register at the Visitor Center upon arrival to use this site.