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White Sands National MonumentYucca 1
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White Sands National Monument
Interdune Boardwalk

Distance from Visitor Center: 4.5 miles (7.2 km)

Length of trail: 650 yards (585 m) round trip 

Description of trail: This trail is fully accessible for people using wheelchairs and strollers. The trail is an elevated boardwalk. This trail leads you through a fragile interdune area to a scenic view at the top of a dune. Interdune areas are where all plant life in the dune field starts. This is the best place to get a close look at many of the wildflowers that grow here while protecting the park's resources. There are informational signs and benches located at various points along the boardwalk.

Photo of sand avalanching  

Did You Know?
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.

Last Updated: October 01, 2007 at 13:36 EST