• The dunes in soft light

    White Sands

    National Monument New Mexico

  • Closures and Missile Tests

    Upcoming Missile Tests: Friday-Saturday, April 27-28 -- Missile test scheduled on both mornings. Highway 70 will be blocked at Red & Yellow checkpoints. No backcountry camping on Thursday and Friday, April 26 & 27. More »

  • High Winds

    We are in our windy season, so please be aware of possible high winds.

  • Backcountry Camping

    There will be no backcountry camping available the night of Saturday, April 7, 2012.

Dunes at Dawn

Sunrise over the dunes

Come join a ranger to see the first rays of the morning sun push over the Sacramento Mountains and learn about the formation of the sands and the special plants and animals that live in and around the dunes on this early morning hike.

The hikes are scheduled once a month from November through April. Reservations are required and is limited to 40 participants. Group size per reservation is limited to no more than 5 people.

The registration period will open two weeks before each scheduled hike and the registration form will be available for download during that time until the hike is full. Once capacity has been met, the form will no longer be available.

Please bear in mind that these events can be very popular and often fill up within just a few hours after registration opens. Reservations are taken in the order in which they are received. To improve your chances of obtaining a place on the hike, submit your form as early as possible. The form will usually be uploaded to the site by 8 am on the day registration opens.

Scheduled Hikes for 2011-2012:

  • Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 7:15 am - Registration is closed.

  • Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 7:15 am - Registration is closed.

  • Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration is closed.

  • Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration is closed.

  • Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration is closed.

 

 

  • Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration will open on March 31, 2012. Download the form.

  • Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration will open on October 27, 2012

  • Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 7:15 am - Registration will open on December 1, 2012

 

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.