We revisited White Sands National Monument on our February 2018 trip to California. I wrote about our previous visit in May 2015 in these seven posts:
- Alkali Flat Trail
- Interdune Boardwalk
- Mid-Day on Dunes Drive
- Morning along Dunes Drive
- Stormy Sunset
- Sunset Stroll
- Visitor Center
White Sands National Monument is located about 16 miles southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico. The entrance is located immediately north of US 70. After quickly touring the visitor center and gift shop, we headed out into the dunes to rehike the Alkali Flat Trail.
To reach the parking area at the Alkali Flat Trail head, drive about 7½ miles past the entrance station on Dunes Drive. The last three miles will be on packed sand.
The trail is a five mile loop with a short common section at the trail head. We chose to hike it clockwise on this visit. Note the northwestern "corner" of the trail is out of the dunes and located on the dry lake bed of Alkali Flat. Take and use sunscreen. Note that the sand reflects sunlight back up to areas of your skin you might not realize need sunscreen. Always take and drink plenty of water when hiking in the desert. Unprepared people have died on this route. We took about 3 hours to walk the trail in awe and wonder.
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| Topographic map with GPS trail route |
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| Elevation profile |
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| Clouds over the dunes |
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| Trail head kiosk |
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| Footprints in the sand |
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| Trail marker |
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| Marker in the distance |
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| Into the dunes |
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| Over a dune |
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| More trail markers |
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| Dunes on the dry lake bed |
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| Vegetation on the dunes |
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| Wide open spaces |
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| Dunes below the San Andres Mountains |
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| Closeup of trail marker |
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| Maze of dunes |
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| Old marker nearly buried in the dunes |
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| Follow the footprints |
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| Perspective from atop the dunes |
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| More of the San Andres Mountains |
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| Rain in the distance |
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| A single set of footprints cross the dune |
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| Sierra Blanca Peak (11,981 feet 47 miles) |
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| Skunkbush Sumac pedestal |
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| Another trail marker |
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| Sand and mountain |
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| Rain in the mountains, sunlight on the dunes |
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| More evidence of the shifting dunes |
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| Rank upon rank of dunes |
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| Wind formed scallops along the ridgeline |
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| "Sink holes" in the dunes |
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| Alkali Flat |
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| Farthest northwest point of the trail |
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| An endless line of trail markers leads back into the dunes |
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| Selenite crystals form this gypsum rock |
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| Trail markers across the dunes |
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| Steep side of the dune |
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| Trail markers align |
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| Ripples on the dune |
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| Dunes like waves of fog |
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| Keep following the markers |
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| Shadows on the dunes |
A $5 per person entry fee is collected at White Sands National Monument. Any of the America the Beautiful passes allow admission for the pass holder and three other adults.
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/whsa.
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