White Sands National Monument is located just to the west of the town of Alamogordo, NM. It is an incredible place to visit and photograph. The white gypsum sands relfect the color of the sky-be it indigo in the early morning light, violet at the sun begins to have its effect, pink and yellow in the early morning light, or blinding white under the bright sunlight. The shifting sand dunes of the north and west portions of the Monument look more like the Namibian desert while further east and south some vegetation is present (mostly agave and some small bushes). In some places there is sufficient ground water to entice cottonwood trees to grow.