White Sands, New Mexico

February 4, 2023

White Sands National Park is located about 54 miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. How the white sand got to this area is a bit complicated. Millions of years ago the Permian Sea (Paleozoic Era) dried up leaving layers of gypsum. (Gypsum is a type of mineral which can form into rocks and is used for fertilizer and drywall.) Then for thousands of years wind and water have separated the gypsum into very small pieces until it became sand. Today it is a fine white powdery substance similar to the white sand on the best beaches of Hawaii. It feels more chalky than the fine Hawaiian sand, but it is still soft. 

According to the brochure, White Sands is a National Park. People can do hikes and camp in the area. There is also a White Sand Missile Range that surrounds the park and when the military does testing it closes. History shows us that 11,000 year ago after the last ice age nomads roamed the area. In the 1300s, people called the Jornada Mogollon were the first to settle in the area. Thereafter American Indians settled in 1600s and then European Americans in the 1800s. During WWII, the military used the site to test weapons and the first atomic bomb was tested in the area in 1945. 

Today we decided to take the 1.5 hour drive to White Sands National Park from El Paso. The drive there was through the Chihuahuan Dessert and uneventful. As we neared the National Park, I expected to see a large area of sand, but didn't. Just then, it appeared out nowhere. It is a really impressive site and so vast. 

The first site you see is the Visitor Center. The visitor center is informative and park rangers are there to provide information. After the visitor center, we drove to the entrance of the park. To get into the park with a car, it cost $25. We tried to get in via Michelle's DOD ID, but the ranger said we needed to be in uniform and on active duty. The map shows 3-4 trails depending on what your ideology on hiking. The Playa Trail is about a 1 mile loop. The hike we wanted to see was the Alkali Flat Trail which is about a 5 mile loop. We only walked part of the trail, to be honest we just wanted a nice picture which we got. The place is vast and wasn't busy on this February day making pictures a plenty. 

The sand was so soft, it felt like Hawaii sand. When we were at the visitor center they were renting out plastic sleds for $25 which is a rip off. People were renting it out and riding it down the sand dunes. We spend about an hour walking around and checking the area out. 

For lunch, we went to Chili's and I got this amazing Mushroom Burger. It was a 10 out of 10. I have really high expectations of Chili's in the Southwest. I really do.