White Sands National Monument offers a primitive backcountry campsite for anyone wishing to hike a short distance to enjoy a night on the white sands. The backcountry campsite, located about one mile from the scenic drive, is reached from a trailhead on the drive 6 miles from the visitor center. The campsite is primitive with no water or toilet facilities. No ground fires are permitted at the campsite or anywhere else in the park as they will create a blackened plaster of Paris scar.
No other types of camping are available at the park; however, there are many public and private campgrounds in the vicinity. Such campgrounds are located in Alamogordo (15 miles northeast), Las Cruces (52 miles southwest), Oliver Lee Memorial State Park (22 miles from park on highway 54, south) and at Aguirre Springs, a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recreation area (35 miles southwest). Anyone wishing to use the backcountry campsite must stop at the visitor's center between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and obtain a permit. The park is occasionally closed, for safety reasons, during testing operations on the surrounding White Sands Missile Range. No backcountry camping is allowed during these closures. Since missile tests are subject to change, please call the park the day before you plan to use the campsite to verify that the site will be available that night. Permits are $3 per person, but are limited and available only in person on the day of use, on a first come-first served basis. To use the campsite:
Observing the rules and keep the backcountry clean and undisturbed. This will insure that others will be able to experience the same camping privileges that you are enjoying. Any violations of rules may be subject to citation. We hope that you have a pleasant stay and a memorable experience at White Sands National Monument.