White Sands National Park, in southern New Mexico , is named for its great deposits of wind-blown gypsum sand . In bright light, the sands resemble a vast snowfield. White Sands was originally established as a national monument, in 1933. It became a national park in 2019. The park borders the United States Army’s White Sands Missile Range . For the park’s area, see National Park System (table: National parks) .
The rolling dunes , part of the Tularosa Basin, make up the world’s largest gypsum dune field. The field covers 275 square miles (700 square kilometers) in the Chihuahuan Desert . The national park covers less than half of the dune field along with surrounding areas. The park is in an area that drains runoff from the surrounding mountains. The water that collects there lies beneath the surface.
One of the park’s most popular activities is sand sledding. Visitors glide down the dunes on plastic saucer sleds. The park offers a variety of other activities, including camping, hiking, picnicking, and guided tours. Other attractions, besides the dunes, include the Alkali Flat, Lake Lucero, the Lucero Ranch, and the White Sands Historic District. The park visitor center, living quarters, and an adobe fence are all part of the historic district. The buildings are modeled after historic pueblos and Spanish missions in New Mexico.
Many of the park’s animals have evolved (developed over time) to be light in color, an adaptation for camouflage against the white sand. They include white insects, lizards, mice, and moths found only in White Sands. The park is also home to amphibians, badgers, bobcats, foxes, lizards, porcupines, rabbits, rodents, snakes, and the rare White Sands pupfish . Bird species include mockingbirds, ravens, roadrunners , and wrens.
