When it comes to White Sands National Park, in southern New Mexico, you can do a lot in a little time! Not only can you see some of the most striking landscapes and sunsets, but you can go sledding just steps from where you park and you can learn some awesome science along the way. Yes, you must get to the park first, but once you’re there, it packs a remarkably efficient punch.
How We Got There
My husband, 8yo and I were on a whirlwind tour of four Texas and New Mexico national parks over six days in December. We flew into Texas’ Midland Airport, rented a car and drove about four hours to Big Bend National Park where we spent two nights. And while Big Bend isn’t the focus of this post, it shouldn’t be overlooked. The Lost Mine Trail and Santa Elena Canyon Trail were some of my favorite hikes of all time. We then drove through El Paso to Alamogordo, New Mexico, the home of White Sands National Park. Interestingly, Alamogordo is also home to the White Sands Missile Range.
The Visitor Center
We made it to the WSNP Visitor Center around 4:15pm. There was a small back-up of cars entering but it took less than ten minutes to pull in. We were on a mission to buy a sled before the Visitor Center closed at 5pm since we’d be headed out of town when they opened the next morning. The gift shop behind the Visitor Center is where you find the saucer sleds. They were selling for $24.99 but if you ask at the counter, they have used ones for $20.99. They also sell wax for a few dollars but honestly, I don’t know if that made a difference or not, especially since it was below freezing when we started sledding.
While you’re at the Visitor Center I highly recommend the short video on the history and formation of WSNP. Spoiler: It’s made of gypsum sand, not beach sand. The video was short enough to hold a child’s attention while also being very informative. Two thumbs up for science. Before you leave the Visitor Center, don’t forget to snap a pic by the national park sign in the parking lot.
Sunset
We headed down the only road into the park, an 8-mile out-and-back with a small loop at the end. It became abundantly clear the small back-up to get into the park was for the 5:07pm SUNSET! Truthfully, I’ve never been obsessed with sunsets, or sunrises, for that matter. I have a friend who is a self-proclaimed sunset chaser and while I could always appreciate the beauty, it never hit me like it hit her. Until now! We pulled off at one of the many parking areas and climbed up the nearest dune to see spectacular views of the sun setting behind the San Andres Mountains and turning the range various shades of pink and purple. That, combined with the darkening sky and the white sand, made for the most memorable sunset I’ve ever seen. And apparently, I’m a sunset person now!
Once the show was over, we drove the rest of the park road scouting our plan of attack for the next day and then headed back to town. We spent less than two hours in the park on the first evening.
Sunrise Sledding
The sun came up at 7:06am the next morning and we were there for it! Surprisingly there was no line at all to get in the park, but given how impressive sunset was, I can understand that. Also, I should add because we were in the park at dusk and dawn in December, it was cold. WSNP sits at 4,235 ft and the temp was less than 20°F at sunset. But we were geared up and had our hand warmers and if you’ve been sledding, you know it’s aerobic. The cold never felt like a problem.
On the way to the big dunes, we pulled over at the Interdune Boardwalk for some sunrise pictures and an easy stroll on the short, elevated boardwalk. Then we made our way to the end of the main road for the prime sledding. Given the time of year perhaps, and the early morning arrival, we maybe saw four other cars in the first hour. If you don’t like crowds at your National Parks, this may be the time and place for you.
And now for the super fun part! SLEDDING! It’s all very simple. You park your car in one of the vast parking lots. Then you look around. When you see a dune that catches your eye, you just start walking towards it. There are no official pathways or trails to stay on. And don’t worry about how hard it is to walk in sand. This sand is different. For us, it felt packed and a little thicker. We didn’t sink into it. Also, and this is a major bonus if you have kids, it brushes off much easier than beach sand. Once you reach the top of your dune, you sled down. Then you rinse and repeat to your heart’s content. We tried two different parking areas and dunes of varying grade. Some of the hills were a bit steep for me but, carpe diem! It was a blast, and no one broke anything.
Moving On
We needed to leave the park that morning by 9:30am, so after ninety minutes of sledding, we headed back to the Visitor Center (which opened at 9am). We turned in our saucer for a $5 store credit, bought some souvenirs, changed into our car clothes and rolled out just as the parking lot was getting busy. Next stop: Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
I was really enamored with White Sands National Park. I think of it as a well-rounded, efficient national park experience. Breathtaking scenery, educational, family fun, all in about four hours. I know there is more we could have done. There is a 5-mile trail and I have a friend who camped overnight and said it was magical. But given the time we had available, our itinerary was perfect for us.