In the heart of the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico, there is an enchanted and magical place: a desert of glittering white sand that is constantly changing.
There are places that are so beautiful and extraordinary that they don’t seem real. Which are lost on the horizon, which steal the colors and shapes from nature, which inebriate the senses, which stun and enchant. And these are the sensations you get when you find yourself in front of the white desert of New Mexico, an ocean of sand whose waves ripple with the wind, creating a landscape that leaves you breathless.
We are located about 50 kilometers from Las Cruces, in the presence of one of the most beautiful, evocative, and magical parks in all of America. White Sands National Park is a US national park located in the state of New Mexico and is so white, sparkling, and ethereal that it looks like a dream.
Characterized by an immense expanse of white sand that is lost visibly, the White Sands National Park offers a unique and alienating panorama that resembles an ocean of calm and placid waters moved by the wind that determines, every time, its landscape.
The white sand desert in motion
White Sands National Park is located in the heart of the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico, and covers an area of ​​over 700 square kilometers. The peculiarity of this desert is not only given by the great beauty that stuns at the first glance, but also by the very composition of its arid dunes, which make it resemble now a lunar landscape, now a heavenly ocean.
The sand that covers the area of ​​the White Sands National Park, in fact, is composed of gypsum crystals and is the largest expanse of this kind on the planet. The desert was born during the last ice age, where Lake Otero stood, which occupied a large part of the basin. Once its waters dried up, residues of gypsum crystals remained on the area.
The crystals in grains are moved throughout the area by the winds that blow mainly from the southwest, it is they who allow you to create those white dunes of different sizes that uniquely distinguish the landscape. The dunes, however, are not static, but change shape and move sinuously, giving the viewer the impression of being in front of an evolving desert.
Visit the White Sands National Park
Visiting White Sands National Park is a unique and extraordinary experience to do at least once in a lifetime. The immense expanse of white sand, in fact, appears to the eyes as a shiny white carpet that shines even more under the rays of the sun that are reflected on the area.
A must for travelers, tourists, and photographers from all over the world, White Sands National Park is one of the most extraordinary wonders to explore on a trip to the parks of the United States.
The visit to the park can be done by car, bicycle, or motorbike along the panoramic road Dunes Drive which starts from the visitor center and leads directly into the heart of the dunes. Along the way, it is possible to stop and contemplate the surreal landscape and rest in the refreshment areas that wind through the desert. Among the favorite activities, for adults and children, there is the descent from the dunes by sled.
There are, of course, hiking trails to be covered on foot. From the Interdune Boardwalk, the wooden walkway that overlooks the chalk heaps and wildflowers that peek out in the white, to other more or less intense scenic routes to cross alone or with the park rangers to enjoy the great beauty of this jewel extraordinary.
