Entrance, Hours, and Parking

White Sands is unique among national parks because it is open set hours rather than 24 hours a day, like most national parks. It opens at 7:00 a.m. and closes thirty minutes after the local sunset. Depending on the time of year, this closure time will change. You can check local sunset times here. 

Before you visit, check the park's planned testing dates and times. The park is adjacent to the White Sands Missile Range, where military tests are conducted. During these tests, Dunes Drive (the only road to the dunes) may be closed for several hours, potentially disrupting your visit.

The park entrance fee is $25 per private vehicle or $15 per person. Parking is available at the White Sands Visitor’s Center at the park’s entrance. The largest lot is the south lot closest to Highway 70. These spaces are available on a first-come basis and fill up quickly. To secure a parking spot, we highly recommend arriving before 9:00 a.m.

Extreme Weather and Safety

The Chiauanan Desert is beautifully wild. With this wildness comes extreme weather that can change drastically throughout the day and from season to season. Depending on the time of year you visit, you’ll want to plan for different types of extreme weather.

Summertime temps can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit, making the sand scorching and dangerous to walk on barefoot. In the autumn, you’ll have cooler temps, but the potential for heavy rainfall and flash floods. Winter can mean freezing temperatures, and springtime often brings white-out sand storms.

Before you visit, check the forecast. And, as always, don’t hesitate to turn back from a hike if the weather starts to turn.

Take Dunes Drive to the Gypsum Dunefield

The scenic Dunes Drive is eight miles of breathtaking views. You’ll pass picnic areas, lookouts, and the famous dune fields along the way. Due to the terrain and the unpaved final three miles, driving to the dunes and back usually takes forty-five minutes. We recommend starting your day with this drive. It’s a great way to experience the landscape in the morning light and get your bearings before setting out on other adventures.

Sled Down the Dunes

If you’ve seen photos of White Sands, you’ve likely seen pictures of visitors sledding down the gypsum dunes. Sledding on the sand is one of the most popular activities at the park.

You can bring your sled or rent one from the visitors center and gift shop. If you bring your sled, we recommend waxing the bottom before you go. Sledding on sand is much slower than snow, and the wax helps you pick up speed without struggling to propel yourself.

Hike the Alkali Flat Trail Loop at Sunset

Few things compare with sunsets over glistening sand. We recommend an evening hike on the Alkali Flat Trail Loop, where you can watch the sunset over the mountainous New Mexico horizon.

This moderately difficult 4.4-mile loop usually takes three hours to complete. Named for the dry lakebed of Lake Otero, which filled the bottom of the Tularosa Basin during the last ice age, the Alkali Flat Trail is anything but flat.

The terrain is rough and requires climbing multiple dunes. Walking on the sand requires extra effort, so leave yourself plenty of time to complete the hike. We recommend starting your hike around 4:00 p.m. In the late afternoon, temperatures drop, and you’ll catch the sunset during the last thirty minutes of your hike.

Visit on a Full Moon Night

Several times a year, White Sands is bathed in bright moonlight from a full moon. On these nights, the park is open two hours past sunset.

On select Full Moon Nights, the park hosts events at the amphitheater free of charge. These free concerts, ranger programs, and artist presentations celebrate New Mexico’s unique culture and heritage. You can find event info and the Full Moon Night schedule on the park’s website.