Travel Guide: White Sands National Park, New Mexico

When I found out how close we were to White Sands National Park I became obsessed with the idea of going out there and would not stop until I finally convinced KG to go with me. I kid you not, this place has been on my bucket list for so long!

I don’t know why I never went when I was living in Texas, but somehow it seemed easier to get there from Arizona. Regardless of when, I am so happy I finally got to go!

Getting There

From Sierra Vista, AZ, it took us 5 hours to get there and we took IH10 almost the entire way, which made it such an easy drive.

Before you get there. you’ll go up a steep mountain. I’ve never had issues with my car before but for some reason, my car struggled! After the mountain, you’ll pass through White Sands Missile Range. There’s a museum there if that is something you are interested and want to check out!

After you pass a check point, you’ll be right outside of White Sands National Park!

Getting In

When you first come in, you’ll see a few buildings to the right. Here you’ll find bathrooms, a gift store, and a visitors center.

Visitor Center

We went into the visitors center and got a postcard and a National Park Passport book. Did you know that you can get stamps at most parks? Since White Sands was my first national park, I thought it fitting to get one! I hope to one day fill it all up!

Gift Shop

Next we went to check out the gift shop. Unfortunately, because of Covid, we were not allowed to go inside. Instead, there was an employee at the entrance who could get you whatever item you wanted. I suggest buying water or snacks if you didn’t bring any with you. There are no shops inside the park.

This is also the place where you can rent sleds if you want to go sledding down the white sand hills. We got there around noon on a Saturday and they were already sold out! My advice: if you want to get a sled, get there early!

Other

This is also a good time to go to the restroom. But don’t worry if you forget, there are plenty of restrooms throughout the park!

Opposite of these building, is another set of buildings. These buildings house the museum and the staff. We didn’t check these out, but if you’re interested, know that the museum is open to guest.

After exiting this area, you turn to go into the park. There is a fee to get into White Sands. It’s $25 per vehicle and is valid for entry for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase. If you are going solo, the price is $15.

We got lucky and they weren’t charging when we were there. Make sure you check their website because they do offer free entry days throughout the year! We were prepared with our annual National Park Pass though. If you like visiting our national parks or if you want to start enjoying the outdoors more, I highly recommend you invest in one! And if you’re active military, you get a FREE annual National Park Pass!

For more fee information check out their website here.

Once Inside

You really can’t go wrong with picking a location to sled or take pictures! And the place is so big so you don’t have to worry about being too close to other families.

There are tables with coverings if you want to bring a picnic and bathrooms are easily accessible. There’s no need to park on the side of the road because there are areas for parking close to the picnic tables and bathrooms. They really make visiting so convenient!

Additional Information

Once you find a spot you like, I suggest you walk for a little bit. When we went the sand felt so nice and I was able to be barefoot the entire time!

I suggest walking away from the street and parking lots because you’ll find sand that is undisturbed and perfect for photos. You’ll also have more privacy if you’re shy like I am.

Also, bring water! The sun reflects on the sand and it can get warm pretty quickly. We had a nice breeze that helped but I was so happy be bought water at the gift shop!

Oh and the best thing, dogs are allowed! It really is a fun place for the whole family!

I’ve had some people ask if you can do photoshoots and the short answer is yes. However, if you are wanting to shoot anything commercial, there are additional fees for that. Other activities that are allowed for an additional fee are weddings and early entry or late stay. You can view that information here.

You can also go camping at White Sands. However, because of Covid, I think that is currently suspended. I would check on their website for updated information.

Unfortunately, drones are not allowed at White Sands. The White Sands Missile Range is right next door and drones are not allowed anywhere close to military bases. Drone footage would have been spectacular! However we did shoot some videos, check it out below!

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I can’t stop recommending White Sands to anyone who will listen! It’s such a magical place!

Have I convinced you to visit White Sands yet?

XO, Mayra