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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> New Mexico >> White Sands National Park – New Mexico >> 2016 White Sands National Park – New Mexico tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

2016 White Sands National Park – New Mexico

Images of White Sands National Park – New Mexico, taken in March 2016.

*****Re-designated as White Sands National Park on December 20, 2019*****

In the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico lies the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. White Sands National Park covers over half of these 275 square miles of dunes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Interestingly enough, the park also sits within the boundaries of Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range.

It is amazing to walk on the pure white sand glistening in the mid-day sun and even more spectacular to see it in the glow of a sunrise as I did my first full day here. I stayed on the north side of Alamogordo so I had a 40 minute trip to get to the park meaning I had to be out the door at 6:15 a.m. The gates opened at seven so I had to get to my viewing spot before the 7:10 sunrise. This is not as easy as it may seem because this park is used by most that visit here as a sledding amusement park; therefore the dunes closest to the road are marred by sled trails and footprints. Luckily I had visited the park the previous afternoon and scouted out a more pristine area where I could get the images I wanted, a walk into the amphitheater area would suffice. Sunrise did not disappoint and the orange hues on the white gypsum sand and the surrounding plants were beautiful.

Later in the day I took a hike on the Backcountry Hiking Trail where the dunes are higher and visited by fewer people. There I was able to see and appreciate the different shapes of the dunes and the patterns of the sand, no two alike, in virtual solitude.

I did however run across other individuals, these actually more hardy souls than I as they had camped in the park the night before. One guy with his girlfriend who stopped off to camp as they crossed the country on a move to California to take a new job; one woman who, interestingly enough considering my past ties to the school athletic program, had just graduated as a nuclear engineer from Georgia Tech where she also played in the marching band; and a gentleman who plays French Horn and works with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and does photography on the side. I’m always amazed by the diversity of the people I meet on the road, where else can you come across and engage in a conversation with a professional musician and a nuclear engineer at the same time?
Sunrise over the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Sunrise over the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Early morning light in White Sands National Monument
Early morning light in White Sands National Monument		 Sunrise reflected on the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Sunrise reflected on the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 The sun accentuating the wave pattern in the sand in White Sands National Monument
The sun accentuating the wave pattern in the sand in White Sands National Monument		 Sunrise over the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Sunrise over the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Soaptree Yucca on the edge of the dunes in early morning light in White Sands National Monument
Soaptree Yucca on the edge of the dunes in early morning light in White Sands National Monument		 Sunrise on plant life around the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Sunrise on plant life around the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Grass creates a circular pattern in the sand when blown by the wind in White Sands National Monument
Grass creates a circular pattern in the sand when blown by the wind in White Sands National Monument		 Early morning light on the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Early morning light on the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Dunes glow in the light of sunrise in White Sands National Monument
Dunes glow in the light of sunrise in White Sands National Monument
Sand slides on an early morning sunlit dune in White Sands National Monument
Sand slides on an early morning sunlit dune in White Sands National Monument		 Soaptree Yucca at the foot of the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Soaptree Yucca at the foot of the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument		 The stalk of a Soaptree Yucca above the sand in White Sands National Monument
The stalk of a Soaptree Yucca above the sand in White Sands National Monument		 The gypsum dunes with the Andres Mountains in the background in White Sands National Monument
The gypsum dunes with the Andres Mountains in the background in White Sands National Monument		 The Andres Mountains loom over the pure white gypsum sand dunes in White Sands National Monument
The Andres Mountains loom over the pure white gypsum sand dunes in White Sands National Monument
Gypsum dunes at the foot of the Andres Mountains in White Sands National Monument
Gypsum dunes at the foot of the Andres Mountains in White Sands National Monument		 Sand dunes in White Sands National Monument
Sand dunes in White Sands National Monument		 White Sands - New Mexico (2022 & 2016)
White Sands - New Mexico (2022 & 2016)		 The sun reflects off of the dunes in White Sands National Monument
The sun reflects off of the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Mid-morning sun on the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Mid-morning sun on the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Soaptree Yucca plants among the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Soaptree Yucca plants among the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Grass shadow patterns on the dunes late in the day in White Sands National Monument
Grass shadow patterns on the dunes late in the day in White Sands National Monument		 Dunes at the foot of the Andres Mountains in White Sands National Monument
Dunes at the foot of the Andres Mountains in White Sands National Monument		 Shadows on the crown of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Shadows on the crown of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sunlight and shadow patterns on the side of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sunlight and shadow patterns on the side of a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument
Gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Sand sliding on the side of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sand sliding on the side of a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Shadows on the peak of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Shadows on the peak of a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Patterns on a gypsum dune in White Sands National Monument
Patterns on a gypsum dune in White Sands National Monument
Light and shadows on a dune in White Sands National Monument
Light and shadows on a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Soaptree Yucca plants on a dune in White Sands National Monument
Soaptree Yucca plants on a dune in White Sands National Monument		 A woman strolls on the white sand in White Sands National Monument
A woman strolls on the white sand in White Sands National Monument		 A plant getting overtaken by the blowing sand in White Sands National Monument
A plant getting overtaken by the blowing sand in White Sands National Monument		 Dunes meet the surrounding desert in White Sands National Monument
Dunes meet the surrounding desert in White Sands National Monument
The crest of a dune in White Sands National Monument
The crest of a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Sand pattern on a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sand pattern on a dune in White Sands National Monument		 A woman on the dunes in White Sands National Monument
A woman on the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Pattern in the gypsum sand in White Sands National Monument
Pattern in the gypsum sand in White Sands National Monument		 Sand, sunlight and shadows on the flank of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sand, sunlight and shadows on the flank of a dune in White Sands National Monument
Skunkbush Sumac bushes on the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Skunkbush Sumac bushes on the dunes in White Sands National Monument		 Sled race on a dune in White Sands National Monument
Sled race on a dune in White Sands National Monument		 A woman sleds down a dune in White Sands National Monument
A woman sleds down a dune in White Sands National Monument		 A pedestal on a dune in White Sands National Monument
A pedestal on a dune in White Sands National Monument		 Yucca and shrub roots form a pedestal in the sand in White Sands National Monument
Yucca and shrub roots form a pedestal in the sand in White Sands National Monument

comment | share
Dave Dalton 14-Apr-2020 13:36
I remembered it as White Sands Missile Range. My dad was stationed in El Paso and we went up there to watch ground-to-air missile launches. Afterwards we grabbed a piece of cardboard and surfed the sands. I think it is illegal to take home the sand. Bits of memories past.
Guest 06-Oct-2017 01:57
WOW!
Sharon Bittinger 07-Apr-2016 23:05
Great pictures, Jerry! My Dads family is from Alamogordo so we visited White Sands a lot over the years. Lots of fun sledding and getting buried. New Mexico is a beautiful state and you captured this area so well!
Dale Gentry 22-Mar-2016 13:47
Those morning shots came out great. Cindy and I were there only for a couple hours and that was in the mid after noon sun. Our photos came out okay, but your morning shots came out better. We didn't realize you could have stayed over night in the park. I would have liked to have taken some Moon scenes or star shots. Oh well. You did a great job.
Greg Temple 22-Mar-2016 01:00
Wow - you did not mention it explicitly, but is this planet Earth?

Thanks for sharing the special place with your gift of images.
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