The White Sands
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dune field, along with the plants and animals that live here.
White Sands National Park is located in southern New Mexico at the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert. This is North America's largest desert, the majority of which is located to our south in Mexico.
The coldest and wettest desert in North America, the Chihuahuan Desert covers a vast area, one third larger than all of New Mexico. This desert is located in three U.S. states and five Mexican states.
At White Sands, the dunes are at 99% humidity, but the water is mostly underground so you wouldn't know it was there unless you dig down to feel the moist sand just a few inches below the surface of a dune.
Upon first glance, the enormous dunefield may seem barren and empty. In reality, however, the park is home to a wide variety of natural features and ecosystems.
Scenery that is never the same twice, colorful sunsets, and the brilliant night sky is an inspiration to many different artists worldwide. The bright white sands, blue skies, and picturesque mountains provide the perfect setting for commercial filming, photography, and various other art forms.
