AlertsPark Roads White Sands National Park has one road called Dunes Drive. This 8-mile (16-mile roundtrip) section of road is half paved and half packed gypsum sand. Varying weather conditions can have drastic impacts to this road. For weather related closures of Dunes Drive, please refer to the park alerts at the top of this page.
A safety corridor starting at mile 3 and ending at mile 5.5 will be in place until further notice. Within the safety corridor stopiing, parking, or exiting a motor vehicle is prohibited unless given expressed written consent or direceted by a law enforcement ranger. The area south of Dunes Drive within the safety corridor is closed to all foot, horse and other traffic. White Sands National Park is also in the proximity of the White Sands Missile Range. The missile range's testing schedule can cause the park and park roads to be closed. Please refer to the military testing closure page to determine if testing will impact your visit to the park. For those traveling Highway 70 between Alamogordo and Las Cruces, you can call the White Sands Missile Range at (575) 678-1178 for highway closure updates. Weather The weather in the Tularosa basin can change dramatically throughout the day. Checking the current weather conditions at White Sands during your visit can help you plan and have a safe experience at the park.
It is important to understand how the weather changes seasonally at White Sands. Visitors should be prepared for drastically different conditions depending on when they choose to visit the park. Visitor Services White Sands National Park has one visitor center. The hours change throughout the year. Please be aware of these times so you can plan accordingly.
Amenities are limited at White Sands National Park. The closest amenitis are in the town of Alamogordo, 15 miles away. The White Sands Trading Post attached to the visitor center does offer some prepackaged food options, bottled water, and an assortment of drinks.
There are no sleeping options at White Sands National Park. Please refer to the eating and sleeping page to learn more about amernities in the area surroudning the park. Activities There are five marked hiking trails within the park. These trails are marked with color posts sunk in the sand. High winds are able to knock these posts over. If hiking a trail and you can not see the next marker, please turn around. For more information on hiking in the park, please reference the hiking page.
Sledding is closed at the interdune boardwalk area and surrounding dunes. Sledding is available throughout the rest of the park. The best areas are highlighted on our sledding page.
As the National Park Service monitors and responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, we work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health to use the latest science to guide our decision making. Masks are optional for indoor spaces at White Sands National Park.Learn more about the National Park Service response to COVID-19. |
Last updated: May 24, 2024