Some places are so stunning and surreal that they transport you to another world. White Sands National Park is one such place. Here, the sand is so white it resembles mounds of snow and the dunes are so big and rolling that they look like giant white waves. The otherworldly effect is only enhanced by the New Mexico blue sky, which makes the white of the dunes pop. By Evie Carrick
Mexico’s white-sand dunes are the largest in the world
The dunes, which are made of super-soft gypsum sand, sprawl for 275 square miles (712 square km) in south-central New Mexico, creating the world’s largest gypsum dune field. In addition to their striking appearance, the gypsum sand dunes are extremely rare and house 800 animal species, including the park’s endemic “white species” — mice, lizards, moths, and other insects that have gradually changed colour, becoming lighter in colour than their relatives elsewhere.
Visitors to White Sand National Park can hike on and sledge down the giant mounds of powder-like sand. Popular hiking trails include Dune Life Nature Trail, a 1-mile (1.6 km) loop that passes over two steep dunes, and the more strenuous Alkali Flat Trail, a 5-mile (8 km) round-trip hike that goes up and down several dunes and passes by the final remnants of Lake Otero. (Don’t let the word “flat” fool you.)
For a truly unique experience, pick up a plastic sledge at the White Sands Trading gift shop and sledge down the sandy dunes, which feel like powder snow. And every month from April to October, the park hosts a guided full-moon hike that allows you to experience the eerie glow of the full moon reflecting on the white sand. You might even spot some of the park’s nocturnal wildlife, like the kit fox, coyote, or desert cottontail who come out to hunt and forage when the sun sets and the sand cools.
White Sand National Park is open year-round and week-long park access is USD 25 (INR 1,884) per vehicle.
Related: 8 Places To Go Stargazing In India That’ll Leave You Mesmerised
EVIE CARRICK
Most popular
Most popular
