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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 >> 2022 White Sands National Park – New Mexico tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

2022 White Sands National Park – New Mexico

Images of White Sands National Park – Southern New Mexico, taken in October 2022.

White Sands National Park sits in the Tularosa Basin of Southern New Mexico and, covering 275 square miles, is the largest gypsum dunefield in the world.

I’ve been to White Sands many times, the first with my parents when I was a child, and although the park is still all about the beautiful white gypsum dunes, this time was different; it was the first time I walked into the park which is now known as White Sands National Park. Established as a National Monument in 1933, it was redesignated to its current status in 2019. Besides the name, nothing has changed; this park, like the Badlands or Great Sand Dunes or Arches National Parks are particularly interesting because light plays such a big part in how the landscape looks at different times of the day. The elevation of the sun elongates shadows and reflects off of the sand crystals differently yielding a completely different scene each moment of each day. Images look surreal and the beauty is undeniable.
Plant life on an older dune in White Sands National Park
Plant life on an older dune in White Sands National Park 		Long late afternoon shadows on a sand dune in White Sands National Park
Long late afternoon shadows on a sand dune in White Sands National Park		 Growth on a bright white gypsum sand dune in White Sands National Park
Growth on a bright white gypsum sand dune in White Sands National Park		 A yucca plant below the dunes in White Sands National Park
A yucca plant below the dunes in White Sands National Park		 Shadows provide a stark contrast against the bright white sands in White Sands National Park
Shadows provide a stark contrast against the bright white sands in White Sands National Park
Plant life at the base of a dune in White Sands National Park
Plant life at the base of a dune in White Sands National Park		 Smooth white dunes, shadows and plant life in White Sands National Park
Smooth white dunes, shadows and plant life in White Sands National Park		 A buried yucca stalk is highlighted against the white dunes and dark shadows in White Sands National Park
A buried yucca stalk is highlighted against the white dunes and dark shadows in White Sands National Park		 Yucca plants on the edge of a gypsum dune in White Sands National Park
Yucca plants on the edge of a gypsum dune in White Sands National Park		 Long shadows from a clump of grass stretch across a dune in White Sands National Park
Long shadows from a clump of grass stretch across a dune in White Sands National Park
Bright white gypsum dune in White Sands National Park
Bright white gypsum dune in White Sands National Park		 Dunes in the Alkali Flat with the San Andres Mountains in the distance in White Sands National Park
Dunes in the Alkali Flat with the San Andres Mountains in the distance in White Sands National Park		 A yucca stalk buried in a gypsum dune in White Sands National Park
A yucca stalk buried in a gypsum dune in White Sands National Park		 Contrasts created by late afternoon sunlight in White Sands National Park
Contrasts created by late afternoon sunlight in White Sands National Park		 A sand pedestal created by the roots of the skunkbush sumac plant in White Sands National Park
A sand pedestal created by the roots of the skunkbush sumac plant in White Sands National Park
Yucca plant on the crest of a dune in White Sands National Park
Yucca plant on the crest of a dune in White Sands National Park		 Roots of the skunkbush sumac plant create sand pedestals in White Sands National Park
Roots of the skunkbush sumac plant create sand pedestals in White Sands National Park		 Stalk of a buried yucca plant highlighted against the white dunes in White Sands National Park
Stalk of a buried yucca plant highlighted against the white dunes in White Sands National Park		 Plant life at the base of a gypsum sand dune in White Sands National Park
Plant life at the base of a gypsum sand dune in White Sands National Park		 A dead plant casts a long shadow on the sand in White Sands National Park
A dead plant casts a long shadow on the sand in White Sands National Park
Ripples in the sand formed by wind in White Sands National Park
Ripples in the sand formed by wind in White Sands National Park		 Plants grow at the base of a dune in White Sands National Park
Plants grow at the base of a dune in White Sands National Park		 A beetle on the white gypsum sands in White Sands National Park
A beetle on the white gypsum sands in White Sands National Park		 Late afternoon sunlight creates dark and light areas across the dunes in White Sands National Park
Late afternoon sunlight creates dark and light areas across the dunes in White Sands National Park		 A crow’s flight stands out against the white gypsum dunes in White Sands National Park
A crow’s flight stands out against the white gypsum dunes in White Sands National Park
Sweeping sand dunes at the foot of the San Andres Mountains in White Sands National Park
Sweeping sand dunes at the foot of the San Andres Mountains in White Sands National Park		 Long shadows of the plant life across the dunes in White Sands National Park
Long shadows of the plant life across the dunes in White Sands National Park		 Park service equipment monitors the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Park
Park service equipment monitors the gypsum dunes in White Sands National Park		 Sunset changes the tone of the white sand in White Sands National Park
Sunset changes the tone of the white sand in White Sands National Park		 Islands of light are created by the late afternoon sun in White Sands National Park
Islands of light are created by the late afternoon sun in White Sands National Park
The gypsum sands turned orange by the setting sun in White Sands National Park
The gypsum sands turned orange by the setting sun in White Sands National Park		 Light on the plants and dunes in the late afternoon in White Sands National Park
Light on the plants and dunes in the late afternoon in White Sands National Park		 A yucca plant on the crest of a dune with the dune field in the distance in White Sands National Park
A yucca plant on the crest of a dune with the dune field in the distance in White Sands National Park		 The sun sets behind the San Andres Mountains in White Sands National Park
The sun sets behind the San Andres Mountains in White Sands National Park		 The dune field in the gloaming in White Sands National Park
The dune field in the gloaming in White Sands National Park

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Greg 02-Nov-2022 18:44
Wow - just gorgeous images of a rare place. I will have to put White Sands on the must-visit places!
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