White Sand Dunes National Park

We visited in November of 2022 for a quick stop on our road trip on our west. The white sand dunes are the perfect backdrop for photos. They are small sand dunes you can easily walk over (unlike the massive dunes of Great Sand Dunes NP in Colorado) making it easy to explore all around the park without getting too tired.

The Entrance Fee is $25 and is good for 7 days. A White Sands National Park annual pass is $45. The America the Beautiful is accepted. We suggest at least one full day at this park.

Make sure to check the website for closures before planning your trip! Occasionally the Park will be closed for a couple of hours due to missile testing at White Sands Missile Range nearby. The park gift shop is open during this time in case you forgot to check and have bad luck! I suggest at least half a day here, staying to sunset is a must!

Dune Hiking
Scenic Dunes Drive

**Dune Hiking**

Hike as far through the dunes as you want! Just make sure you know your direction back (if you go far enough its easy to lose sight of the parking).

**Dune Life Nature Trail**

This 1 mile loop gives you the best view of the different plants growing in White Sands NP. This is the first trail on your left past the visitor center. Want more pristine all white dunes? Go farther back into the park!

**Dunes Drive**

Dune Drive is an 16 mile loop that takes you thought the park and allows you to see the dunes from you car. Make sure to stop to hike, see exhibits, or have a quick lunch at the picnic areas.

Where to Stay: We stayed at an airbnb Ridgeline Railyard Mountain Apartment in High Rolls, NM which is about 30 minutes outside of the park. A great little dog friendly airbnb!

What to Eat: Bring you own food. We stopped at a grocery store in town before heading to the airbnb. If we has more time we would have headed up to the brewery in Cloudcloft just past the airbnb- Cloudcloft Brewing Company.

Axel’s Pup Tip: The sand doesn’t get hot! Enjoy the gypsum sand dunes to your heart’s content.

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Axel’s Packing List: Dog Sunscreen, Collapsible Dog Bowl, Nalgene Water Bottle, Owala Water Bottle, Kurgo Dog Food Travel Bag, The Natural Dog Treats,