• The dunes in soft light

    White Sands

    National Monument New Mexico

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  • Closures and Missile Tests

    Upcoming Missile Tests: From time to time the missile range that surrounds us performs missile testing that may require the closure of the park or Highway 70. Please follow the link below for up to date information on closures More »

Invasive Species

Invasive species, or non-native plants or animals that have been introduced into an area, are often very detrimental to native plants, animals and ecosystems. At White Sands National Monument, various measures have been devised to help reduce the effect these organisms have on the park's delicate ecosystem.

 

Oryx
A native of the Kalahari Desert, the African oryx, or gemsbok (Oryx gazella), is a large antelope that now lives in southern New Mexico.

 

Tamarisk
Introduced as an ornamental plant from Asia in the late 1800s, the Tamarisk, or Salt Cedar, has become a problem for many areas throughout New Mexico.

 

African Rue
African Rue was first brought to the United States for its use in making dyes. Due to its aggressive growth, it has since been classified as an invasive species.

Did You Know?

Photo of sand avalanching

While the wind piles the sand grains into dunes, the dunes move forward under the force of gravity. As the leading edge of the dune ("slipface") gets steeper, gravity pulls an avalanche of sand down the slipface, moving the dune forward.