White Sands: sledding down the largest gypsum dunes in the world

At the bottom of a valley in New Mexico, between two mountain ranges, stretches a sea of dazzling white dunes. This isn’t ordinary sand but gypsum, the mineral plaster is made from. The dunefield covers 700 km². It’s the largest in the world.

History and origins

Gypsum dissolves in water. Everywhere else, rain carries it away to the sea. Here the valley has no outlet: the water coming down from the mountains evaporates on the spot and leaves crystals behind. The wind breaks them into grains and piles them into dunes, which advance by several metres a year.

People were already living here at the end of the ice age, on the shore of a great lake. They left footprints in the mud, more than 20,000 years old, among the oldest human traces in the Americas. The site was protected in 1933 and became a national park at the end of 2019.

What to do there

• The dunes road: 13 km from the visitor center. The asphalt gives way to packed gypsum, and you drive between white walls. You park wherever you like.
• Walking barefoot: gypsum doesn’t heat up in the sun, unlike sand. It stays cool underfoot, even in summer.
• Sledding: you slide down the dunes on plastic saucers, sold at the park shop. A little wax helps them glide.
• The boardwalk: a raised path, accessible to all, with signs about the plants and animals of the dunes.
• Alkali Flat: a long loop marked by posts, across the tallest dunes, to the bed of a dried-up lake.
• Sunset: the dunes turn from white to pink, then to blue. Rangers lead a guided stroll at the end of the day.

Stories and good to know

• Several animals of the dunes have turned white over the generations: lizards, mice, moths.
• The first atomic bomb was detonated 100 km to the north, in July 1945. The site only opens to the public a few days a year.
• On the roads of the region, expect Border Patrol checkpoints, well inside the country. Keep your passport on you.

Practical information for your road trip

• Pass: the America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee. Everything is explained in our guide to the national parks pass.
• Getting there: the park is 20 minutes from Alamogordo, an hour from Las Cruces and 1 hr 30 from El Paso.
• Opening hours: the park opens in the morning and closes shortly after sunset. You can’t stay overnight without a permit.
• On site: no restaurant and no fuel. A shop at the visitor center.
• Where to stay: in Alamogordo or Las Cruces.
• Combine it with: Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains, about 3 hrs away.