You may notice, as you view my latest video, that the park entrance and Visitor Center has the name “White Sands National Monument” written on it (established January 18, 1933.) Well, yes, that was true when I visited in late 2019. Since then, however, this area has become a full-fledged National Park (December 20, 2019.) Upgrades sometimes happen in the National Park Service. White Sands deserves it, because it the largest gypsum sand dunefield area on the planet.
Gypsum sand dunes are some of the prettiest. They are whiter than any white sand beach. They sparkle like snow in the sun. Some reach heights of 60 feet or greater – good enough to sled down. And, this particular park has dunes spreading out as far as the eye can see. There’s good reason why this park is the most visited in New Mexico.
When I stayed here, I parked my RV in one of the state parks with full hookups (where I took those pictures of the amazing sunsets.) A nearby town of interest is Alamogordo, where a really nice space museum resides. This park is definitely well worth the trip.