VIEWPOINT: White Sands National Park

LONG STORY SHORT
​A cool spot that was more appropriately designated as a national monument.

White Sands is one of the newer national parks, promoted from its “National Monument” status in 2019. Its dunes are notable for their sparkling white color, but during our visit, White Sands felt more like a national monument than a national park. We had fun, but it’s got one feature to explore and required only a couple hours of our time.

NATURE: RESPECTABLE
The Park’s Name Pretty Much Covers It

Sand dunes are cool, but you know what’s cooler? White sand dunes! This sand looks like it belongs in the bunkers at Augusta National Golf Club, yet here it is en masse in southern New Mexico.

EXPERIENCE: RESPECTABLE
Take a Short Hike or a Short Ride

The trails at White Sands are nothing remarkable, mostly meandering loops on and around the dunes. The real fun here is in the sledding. The dunes aren’t particularly tall, but you can get a rush on some slopes while riding a waxed-up saucer. Or you can spin out and get a face full of sand, as we nearly did a few times.

VISITING: EASY
Going is the Hardest Part

Southern New Mexico is mostly desolate, which is probably why one of White Sands’ neighbors is a missile range. The park is in the middle of nowhere, in a desert sandwiched between Alamogordo, N.M., and the college town of Las Cruces. It also doesn’t have any campgrounds, which means we had to camp more than 40 minutes away at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park when we visited.
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But as with most parks, it’s fairly straightforward once you’re there. The visitor center sits right off the highway, and there’s one short road within the park that hits all the notable spots. There’s even an abundant amount of parking space, which is especially impressive considering it’s a newer national park.

STUPIDITY INDEX
The Stupid Are In Danger

It can get hot in White Sands. We visited on a 68-degree day in mid-February, and the place felt like an oven at times. The heat reflects off the sand and can really catch people off guard. So if The Stupid aren’t carrying enough water, they’re at a surprisingly high risk of becoming dehydrated or suffering heat stroke.

CATSBY’S TAKE
It Was Great

The campground had an incredible view, and I enjoyed chasing a mysterious light that danced around on the cabinets. (EDITOR'S NOTE: it was sunlight reflecting off my phone screen.)