• 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 »

Gas Station

Due to the somewhat remote nature of our park, there are no gas stations at White Sands National Monument. The closest gas station is in Alamogordo, roughly 13 miles northeast on Highway 70 East. The next gas station would be in Las Cruces, approximately 50 miles northwest on Highway 70 West.

If you are coming from Alamogordo or Las Cruces, it is highly recommended that you fill up your gas tank before leaving town. There are no gas stations between Alamogordo and Las Cruces.

Did You Know?

Photo of hiker on the dunes

Only the top few inches of the gypsum dunes are made of loose sand. Rainwater falling on the dunes dissolves some of the gypsum and cements the sand grains together, creating a crude form of plaster of Paris. This makes the white sand dunes easy to walk on.