| At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain ringed valley called 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.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.Dunes of gypsum sand have covered 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.A visitors first stop should be the White Sands visitor center, which includes a museum, information desk, book store, gift shop and restrooms. Allow approximately 30 minutes for visitor center activities.From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, ranger-led activities are scheduled daily, including nature walks and evening slide programs. Check at the visitor center for the day's activities.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 dune-field. |
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