Different Trails: White Sands

White Sands National Monument was one of the most interesting places we went. It was so much more than I had ever expected. I had by passed visiting this park most of my life for one reason or another. But this time I meant to see it, and I am so glad I did. The park is northeast of Las Cruces and very near the town of Alamogordo. At the information center and gift shop that is just off the highway before entering the park is a great place to make your first stop (and your last) when visiting. There is a short film about the park as there is all of our national parks. I always make a point of seeing the film as it explains what you will be seeing, how it developed over history and why this area should be kept as a national park. The film are always free and usually about 15 minutes long. Most of the parks sell this short movie if you want to buy it. I have a few of them. An interesting fact about White Sands Visitors Center is that they have kept it as much like it was originally built in the 1930.

When you first go into the actual park this is the little building you will see.

At first the road is paved but after a bit it turns into an unpaved road through the white dunes. This road almost looks like it is paved with a hard layer of icey snow on it but it is actually compacted sand.

When you first think of sand dunes you just think of the sand but not of all the plants and animals that like in and on the dunes. There are lots of the New Mexico Yucca in and on the dunes. The yucca is the state flower of NM. There are also lots of grease wood and sage. You will see different kinds of native grasses. The film mentioned that many of these plants that we see go for many feet under the dunes. Over time as a plant gets sand blown around it it keeps growing up so it can reach daylight.

Many of the dunes showed how the wind as well as people have maked trails in the sand. With the first hard wind these trails will disappear.

There was one metal walkway that you could walk on to get about a quarter mile out onto the dune and not have to fight your way through sand. I am stanking at the end of the walkway.

Sarah and Ruby exploring the dunes,

Me exploring white sands.

From most places on the sands you are at about a 4000 foot elivation. In the distance you can see different higher mountains including those near Cloudcroft, NM. where we planned to go later that day.