White Sands National Park

While in Las Cruces, we visited the nearby White Sands National Park.

This park features the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. Until December 2019 it was a National Monument, and many of the signs have yet to be updated:

White Sands visitor center:

In addition to the park service visitor center shop, there is a commercial gift shop onsite:

We do enjoy the cactus candy:

They have disc-shaped sand sleds for sale (and can buy back); we thought about it, but decided not to bother:

Jenn does enjoy her pressed pennies:

A flowering shrub out front was covered in butterflies, moths, and bees:

The entrance station:

The road between sand dunes:

About halfway the pavement ends, so one is driving on compressed sand:

They have several picnic areas, with lots of shelters:

We parked at one, for a picnic lunch; the shelter didn’t do much to block the strong wind, though:

A selfie:

We climbed the dune behind the shelter:

Shiny gypsum sand; a nice property of it is that it doesn’t get hot:

Sand dunes in all directions:

Other people sledding by the picnic area:

Shadows:

We then went to a boardwalk in an area with more foliage:

An interesting park, somewhat different than the sand dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park, but fascinating in its own way.