Somewhat spontaneously, we took a slight detour out of Las Cruces, New Mexico, to visit White Sands National Park. The glistening white sand here comprises the world’s largest gypsum dunefield, and made us feel like we were on another planet! Because we hadn’t planned for it, we pulled into the visitor center right at the hottest part of the day, but that didn’t discourage us from purchasing some sleds to hit the slopes.
We made sure everyone was hydrated (especially our pups that don’t like the heat!) and headed out into the park in search of the best hills. We waxed up the saucers, and after a Clark W. Griswold-like announcement (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, anyone??) we were soon flying down the hills. It was a blast! I definitely think it’d be more enjoyable in the evening or in cooler seasons, but we still had a great time. I was also extremely thankful for our little outdoor shower… it was the first time we’ve used it and I’m sure that won’t be the last! Della enjoyed just sliding & rolling down the hills, so as you can imagine, there was SAND. EVERYWHERE.
The park is located on Highway 70 between Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico. You can bring your own sleds, or purchase them at the gift shop and return them for a partial refund. (When we visited, there were a few used sleds available for $10 a piece, and we returned them for $3 back.) You’ll need to wax the sleds in between every 3-4 runs to make sure you go FAST! You can purchase wax at the gift shop for a couple bucks, too. Take TONS of water and sunscreen, and if you don’t have an outdoor shower, you can try the baby powder trick! Or just be ready to vacuum fine gypsum sand out of your vehicle for the nest 3 weeks. Ha!
Random note: the park is closed a few times per month because of it’s proximity to White Sands Missile Range. The road can be closed for up to 3 hours during missile testing, so check the Park Closures page before your trip.
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