White Sands National Monument

"Anything that lives where it would seem that nothing could live, enduring extremes of heat and cold, sunlight and storm, parching aridity and sudden cloudbursts, among burnt rocks and shifting sands, any such creature, beast, bird, or flower, testifies to the grandeur and heroism inherent in all forms of life. Including the human. Even in us." ~ Edward Abbey


Formal recognition for the White Sands came on January 18, 1933 when President Herbert Hoover proclaimed the area a National Monument.



These photos were taken June 2011 on my third visit to White Sands. Simply stated, it was very hot during my third visit. The temperature read 105 degrees on my vehicle dashboard when I started my hike across the dunes. Two hours later I returned to my vehicle drenched in sweat and out of water. The temperature gage now read 107 degrees. It seemed much hotter. When I stopped at the visitor center to purchase some cold water I mentioned the temperature to a park ranger. The ranger said that I could add 20-25 degrees to whatever my temperature gage read. She continued to say that the white sands reflect the suns rays best during the summer months.
I was correct in thinking that it felt a little warmer than 107 degrees.

Although it can be hot, White Sands National Monument is the coolest place to explore in the Southwest.

White Sands is located in New Mexico in the heart of Tularosa Basin. Here the dunes have engulfed 275 square miles.