I promise you I did not get the name wrong. Many people know White Sands National Monument, but it was actually re-designated in 2019 as a National Park. White Sands National Park goes down as by far the most dog friendly National Park I have ever been to. I usually don’t even take Winter with me to National Parks, but this was different. My family and I drove about 45 minutes from Cloudcroft New Mexico to spend a day in the sand.
White Sands
White Sands National Park is on the southern end of the enormous White Sands Missile Range. A quick google can tell you all you need to know about the Missile Range, but the National Park is completely safe to explore. It is somewhat crazy to see White Sands National Park emerge out of an otherwise scrubby desert environment. The gypsum sand and environment a very unique, with water sand only a few inches below the loose sandy surface. You might be surprised to learn about the diversity of wildlife in the area, including a species of desert fox. If you make it out to this remote National Park be sure to grab a brochure and park newspaper to learn more about the environment and biodiversity here.
There is not really a ton of hiking to be done in this particular national park. There are 5 short trails all accessible from the main park road. Each trail has plenty of trail head parking available. We walked out the Interdune Boardwalk since this trail was listed as dog friendly. Its really only 0.25 miles, and is accessible for anyone with disabilities. In typical fashion, we stopped and snapped a ton photos. I picked out some of my favorites featured below.
We then continued down the road to the end of the pavement and onto the packed sand road. Along the 16 mile long park road there were plenty of turn outs to pull off and explores out into the sand dunes. One of the most popular activities at the park is sand sledding – the sleds are available for rent at the visitors center. My family opted not to participate because we didnt feel like getting covered in sand. Instead, at the farthest point back in the park we again took a million photos and videos and walked around a bit before heading back to Cloudcroft.
Before you go
Visiting White Sands National Park is out of the way and truthfully there is not a lot else to do in the immediate area. The good news is that if you are driving through, or staying somewhere like Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, this is a great half day activity. It is about 1 hour from Ruidoso and 45 minutes from Cloudcroft. Due to the proximity to Holloman Airforce Base and the White Sands Missile Range the park can close unexpectedly for 3+ hours at a time. This is for public safety if there is missile testing occurring. This is something to consider, and check the park website for daily updates to hours.
I have a National Parks Pass so entry was free for everyone in the car. The pass costs $85 per year and they are available to purchase online or at any National Park entrance gate. If you just do a day entrance to White Sands National Park it is only $25/vehicle – much cheaper than many other national parks. Other ways to spend money here include renting sleds at the visitors center!
While White Sands National Park is the most dog friendly national park I have ever been to, there are still restrictions and precautions to take. During the summer months the sand can be extremely hot, and this is a desert so bring plenty of water. Most of the area in White Sands National Park is dog friendly, however changes my have occurred since I visited.
Want to see more National Parks we have visited along with all the tips? Check out the brand new National Parks page!
Very cool that is nice ya’ll got to do that.
Yea it was a nifty little day trip! Cannot wait to get to more national parks this summer!