Best White Sands National Park Day Trips & Things to Do

White Sands National Park, located in southern New Mexico near Alamogordo, protects the world’s largest gypsum dune field, a landscape that feels both surreal and deeply peaceful. Unlike typical sand deserts, these brilliant white dunes stay cool underfoot, making activities like hiking the Alkali Flat Trail, driving the scenic Dunes Drive, or sledding down gentle slopes enjoyable year-round. Framed by the San Andres Mountains and shifting constantly with the wind, the park offers striking photo opportunities, especially at sunset when the dunes glow with soft pink and gold tones. Wildlife adapted to the pale terrain, from lizards to kit foxes, adds quiet intrigue, while ranger programs and clear visitor facilities make it accessible for first-time and repeat travelers alike.