At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain-ringed valley, the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of this basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and have created the world’s largest gypsum dune field. The brilliant white dunes are ever changing: growing, cresting, then slumping, but always advancing. Slowly but relentlessly the sand, driven by strong southwest winds, covers everything in its path. Within the extremely harsh environment of the dune field, even plants and animals adapted to desert conditions struggle to survive.
Only a few species of plants grow rapidly enough to survive burial by moving dunes, but several types of small animals have evolved a white coloration that camouflages them in the gypsum sand. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this gypsum dune field, along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this constantly changing environment.
Introduction
The largest pure gypsum dune field in the world is located at White Sands National Monument in south-central New Mexico. This region of glistening white dunes is in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert within an “internally drained valley” called the Tularosa Basin. The monument ranges in elevation from 3890 feet to 4116 feet above sea level. There are approximately 275 total square miles of dune fields here, with 115 square miles (about 40%) located within White Sands National Monument. The remainder is on military land that is not open to the public. This dune field is very dynamic, with the most active dunes moving to the northeast at a rate of up to 30 feet per year, while the more stable areas of sand move very little.
The pure gypsum (hydrous calcium sulfate) that forms these unusual dunes originates in the western portion of the monument from an ephemeral lake or playa with a very high mineral content. As the water evaporates (theoretically as much as 80 inches per year!), the minerals are left behind to form gypsum deposits that eventually are wind-transported to form these white sand dunes. Many species of plants and animals have developed very specialized means of surviving in this area of cold winters, hot summers, with very little surface water and highly mineralized ground water.
Nature & Science
The obvious natural feature of this monument is the pure gypsum dunes, but perhaps less obvious are the sources of the dunes, Lake Lucero and Alkali Flat. These two areas are the result of the gradual drying of an extensive Pleistocene lake that was rich in the mineral gypsum, with the dunes being the result of weathering and wind transport of these exposed surfaces. Along the margins of Lake Lucero, translucent golden-yellow crystals of selenite are exposed on the soil surface. These calcium sulfate (gypsum) crystals grow in saturated mud beneath the remains of Lake Otero and may reach lengths of four feet.
When exposed on the surface, these crystals are subject to weathering and erosion and may eventually become gypsum powder and sand grains, which can be carried by winds as dust or sand storms. These wind-transported particles, along with those from Lake Lucero and Alkali Flat, are often deposited to the north as the white sands of White Sands National Monument.
“Fossil” dunes found east and south of the main dunefield offer information about historical wind and climate regimes.
Attractions
Desert Wildlife
Desert animals, like desert plants, have adapted in very special ways to live in this hot, dry environment. Darkling beetles, red-tailed hawks, whiptail lizards and kangaroo rats are just a few of the creatures you might see in the desert.
Recreation
An eight mile scenic drive leads from the White Sands National Monument Visitor Center into the heart of the dunes. Wayside exhibits at pullouts along the drive provide information about the natural history of the park. Numerous parking areas along the drive allow visitors to stop and walk in the white sands. Allow 40 minutes driving time for the 16 mile roundtrip, plus additional time for walking, photography or stopping at pullouts. The Interdune Boardwalk has interpretive exhibits.
For those who would like to explore the dunes on foot, the Big Dune Trail is a one mile self-guided nature trail. A booklet, available at the trailhead, discusses the plants and animals that live within the dunes. The Alkali Flat Trail, which starts from the end of the Dunes Drive, is a 4.6 mile (round-trip) backcountry trail that traverses the heart of the dunefield.
Getting There
The visitor center is located on U. S. Highway 70/82, 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Follow U. S. 82 through the scenic Sacramento Mountains to White Sands National Monument.
Traveler Facts
Contact Information
White Sands National Monument
P. O. Box 1086
Holloman AFB, NM 88330
Phone: 505-679-2599 (Visitor Information)
Phone: 505-479-6124 (Visitor Information)
Fax: 505-479-4333
Operating Hours
White Sands National Monument is open year-round for day-use only.
Permits
Backpack campsites require a permit, which can be purchased at the visitor center for $3. Permits are limited and available only in person on the day of use, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Visitors Center
The White Sands Visitor Center includes a museum, information desk, bookstore, gift shop and restrooms.
Weather/Climate
The Tularosa Basin is subject to harsh and changing conditions. Summers are hot, averaging 95 F. Winters are mild, but nighttime temperatures often go below freezing. Snowfall is infrequent, but heavy snows have occurred on occasion. Precipitation averages 8 inches annually with most falling during summer thunderstorms, often accompanied by hail.
Wind is the dominant climatic factor here, especially from Feb.-May. The prevailing southerly winds blow unimpeded across the desert and at times reach gale force. Windstorms can last for days in the spring.
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