White Sands National Park Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
national park in Otero and Doña Ana counties in New Mexico, United States
About White Sands National Park
White Sands became a national monument on January 18, 1933 by order of President Herbert Hoover. Efforts to preserve the area's brilliant gypsum dunes had begun in the late 1800s, but it was the enthusiasm of local booster Tom Charles that finally led to the park's creation. In his words "gypsum may be divided into two classes - Commercial and Inspirational. The former everybody has, but as for recreational gypsum, we have it all. No place else in the world do you find these alabaster dunes with the beauty and splendor of the Great White Sands." The park's creation coincided with the Great Depression, which was in some ways fortuitous due to the Roosevelt administration's focus on public works. WPA funds were used to improve many park areas and White Sands benefited by achieving a full
Top Attractions in White Sands National Park
Explore the best things to see and do in White Sands National Park:
- ★Alkali Flat Trail
- ★Dune Life Nature Trail
- ★Interdune Boardwalk
- ★Playa Trail
- ★White Sands Hot Air Balloon Invitational
- ★Wildflowers
White Sands National Park Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: