You can easily visit White Sands National Park in a day. There’s one road in and out of the park (the Dunes Drive) that has all of the best hikes, sledding dunes, and viewpoints. So take your time on this scenic drive.

You’ll want to hike at least one of the park’s five trails. The Interdune Boardwalk is fully accessible and is not marked because you stay on the boardwalk the entire time. The other four trails are marked with a colored post (green, blue, orange, or red) and a symbol (heart, club, spade, or diamond). Make sure you use these color and symbol markers to stay on the designated trails. It’s easy to lose the trail if you’re not paying attention.

Sledding is one of the most popular activities to do here. I tried sledding on my own plastic sled and a sled from the park’s gift shop on several dunes throughout the park. But I was never able to slide more than a few feet. The only people I saw successfully sledding were small children. It’s easier to sled in the winter when the sand is harder. I had a lot of fun trying to sled, and you probably will too, but you should manage your expectations.

The park has several incredible ranger-led tours if the timing works out for you. I highly recommend the Sunset Stroll, Full Moon Hike, and Lake Lucero Tour.

September – November is the best time to visit this park. Daytime temperatures average between 80 and 65 degrees, and evenings are cool around 40 degrees. The days are usually sunny and dry with light winds.

From December – February, daytime temperatures will hover around 60 degrees, and the evenings are cold, averaging around 23 degrees. Winter storms with rain or light snow are possible. If you want to have the park practically to yourself, then this is the time to come. Just make sure you bring layers.

March to May has daytime temperatures averaging around 75 degrees, and it’s in the 40s in the evenings. You should have sunny days during these months, but windstorms are common. So check the weather before you arrive, and ask the park rangers what you should do if a windstorm blows through. This is also the busiest season for the park.

Summer is the hottest and wettest time of the year. Late afternoon and evening thunderstorms are common, and daytime temperatures can get into the 100s. The mornings and evenings are much cooler in the 50s and 60s, so do your hiking as early in the morning as possible.

You shouldn’t walk barefoot at White Sands National Park. The gypsum doesn’t retain heat like sand, but even though your feet won’t burn, you should still keep your shoes on because plants, scorpions, snakes, insects, and other hazards are commonly found in the ground here.

Know Before You Go To White Sands:

Bring more water than you think you’ll need because you’ll end up needing it. As a general rule, when your water is half-gone, head back to your car. Fill up your water containers at the visitor center because there is no water available in the dunefield.

It’s easy to get disoriented in the dunefield. Wind moves sand and erases your tracks, GPS can be unreliable, and everything is further than it looks. You should only hike on designated trails, and if you go off-trail to sled, you should never lose sight of your car or trail markers.

The sun reflecting off the white sand is intense year-round. So wear a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, even in the winter. Wear loose, light-colored clothing during warmer months and warm clothes during cooler seasons. Remember that temperatures can drop drastically after sunset.

Bicycling is allowed on the asphalt and packed gypsum. Off-road bicycling into the dunes or inter-dunal areas is not allowed. Helmets are required for all minors.

Alcohol is not allowed in the park from February 1st – May 31st

Pets must be kept on a leash at all times.

Metal detectors are not allowed in the park.

You can bring your own sun shelter or sun umbrella.

Don’t dig into the sand, and don’t let your dogs dig in the sand because it’s heavy and can easily collapse on your furry friends.

Sled on dunes that don’t lead into a road or interdunal area.

The park’s gift shop has limited food and snack options, so you’ll want to pack out any meals you’re going to have in the park.

You can buy sleds at the National Park gift shop, or you can bring your own. Waxed plastic snow saucers work best.

You can easily visit White Sands National Park in a day. There’s one road in and out of the park (the Dunes Drive) that has all of the best hikes, sledding dunes, and viewpoints. So take your time on this scenic drive.

You’ll want to hike at least one of the park’s five trails. The Interdune Boardwalk is fully accessible and is not marked because you stay on the boardwalk the entire time. The other four trails are marked with a colored post (green, blue, orange, or red) and a symbol (heart, club, spade, or diamond). Make sure you use these color and symbol markers to stay on the designated trails. It’s easy to lose the trail if you’re not paying attention.

Sledding is one of the most popular activities to do here. I tried sledding on my own plastic sled and a sled from the park’s gift shop on several dunes throughout the park. But I was never able to slide more than a few feet. The only people I saw successfully sledding were small children. It’s easier to sled in the winter when the sand is harder. I had a lot of fun trying to sled, and you probably will too, but you should manage your expectations.

The park has several incredible ranger-led tours if the timing works out for you. I highly recommend the Sunset Stroll, Full Moon Hike, and Lake Lucero Tour.