Trip Across America

White Sands National Park might have the most unique location of all the national parks. Depending on your perspective it may also be the most historically significant. Originally designated as a National Monument in 1933 by President Hoover, and re-designated as a national park in 2019 by President Trump, White Sands National Park has the distinction of being located within a Department of Defense testing facility. Sitting inside of the White Sands Missile Range, a 2.2 million acre open air testing range, I challenge you to find a national park with a cooler location.

While you’ve probably never heard of White Sands Missile Range, you’re probably familiar with it’s most historic test. In 1945, members of the Manhattan Project made there way out to what was then called, White Sands Proving Ground. They were there to test the world’s first atomic bomb. Code named “Trinity”, the test was the culmination of years of research. On July 16, 1945 at 5:29 a.m., the bomb known as “Gadget” was successfully detonated, ushering the world into the atomic age.

White Sands National Park is amazing on its own merits. But if it needed a boost, witnessing one of the most significant events of the 20th century, is certainly a good addition to its resume. Located in southern New Mexico, the park preserves the world’s largest gypsum sand dunes. The glistening waves of white sand rise from the desert floor, standing in beautiful contrast to the surrounding landscape. The bright white coloring of the dunes is spectacular, a truly unique New Mexican treasure. The only thing more striking than the dune’s beauty, is the silence and solitude. The silence can be unnerving at first, but after adjusting, it’s extremely calming. Take just a few steps into the heart of the dunes, and you are fully immersed in nature, completely removed from the distractions of the outside world. If you’re looking for an awe inspiring landscape, where you can really escape from it all, White Sands National Park might be the place.

Visiting White Sands National Park

The easiest way to see White Sands National Park is by driving along Dunes Drive. The road is eight miles long and leads into the heart of the dunes. There are plenty of pull outs to park, and all the major hiking trails are located along the road. The first five miles of the road are paved, while the last three miles are hard packed sand. Don’t worry about the unpaved portion, you can drive it in any kind of car.

https://www.nps.gov/whsa/planyourvisit/driving-dunes-drive.htm

Most visitors end up hiking at least 1 of the 5 established trails within the park. I’m going to skip over detailed descriptions for each of the trails, but for those of you interested, check out the NPS link below. If you’re looking for something easy, or possibly one well suited for kids, the Interdune Boardwalk is your best bet. It’s an easy half mile walk along a raised Boardwalk, taking you into the dunes without having to hike through sand. The Boardwalk is located right off Dunes Drive, and there is plenty of parking, making it a really easy introduction to the park. Also, if you are bringing the kids, be sure to pick up a sled at the visitor center. One of the most popular activities in the park, is sledding down the sand dunes. I passed on this activity, but the youngsters I saw sledding, it looked like they were having a great time.

https://www.nps.gov/whsa/planyourvisit/trails.htm

Tips for Visiting

1. Water!!!! The national park service recommends bringing at least 2 liters of water for every person when hiking. I would probably up that a little bit, especially if it’s really warm out. I easily went through a gallon of water in just a few hours.
2. Wear a hat. There’s nowhere to hide from the Sun, so this is the perfect opportunity to reuse your Nick Saban inspired Halloween costume. So break out the straw hats and Roll Tide.