Stepping Into White Sands Magic: Homebound Tour Guide Series
Why White Sands National Park Never Stops Taking My Breath Away. In honor of National Park Week!
There are places you visit once and remember fondly—and then there are places that become part of your story. For me, White Sands National Park is the latter. I've been going since my kids were little, and even now, decades later, it continues to surprise and delight me every time.
Nestled in southern New Mexico, White Sands is home to the largest gypsum dune field on Earth—275 square miles of sparkling, sugar-white dunes that feel like something out of a dream. It’s beautiful in a way that feels impossible. Ethereal. Quiet. Vast. And no matter how many times I’ve been, I still find myself catching my breath as I watch the sun melt into lavender over the dunes.
The Camping Trip I'll Never Forget
Years ago, before staff shortages forced them to stop issuing permits, White Sands used to offer 10 backcountry camping spots each day on a first come, first served basis, meaning you had to que up by 6am to snag one! Caitlin and I were lucky enough to score a permit to camp after a #TravelNewMexico InstaMeet that we hosted during our first year —and my family of elementary aged boys came down with my husband to spend the night under that incredible night ky.
It was not the peaceful, stargazing evening I had pictured at first. We were almost blown away by a sudden windstorm that swept across the dunes and blew our tent down on top of us. But then—just as quickly—it cleared. And that’s when the real magic happened.
The kids ran wild under the stars with glow sticks and sleds. We tried our hand at astrophotography and long exposure, our cameras capturing long-exposure streaks of stars above the dunes and wild neon colors of the dancing glow sticks. It was wild and silly and peaceful all at once. One of those nights that stamps itself into your memory and stays there.
They do offer full moon hikes but camping still isn't currently allowed due to staff shortages—but I hope someday, they'll be able to bring it back. It was an experience like no other!
Watching Creativity Come to Life in the Dunes
For the past three years, I’ve also had the joy of visiting White Sands with groups of influencers through our work with the New Mexico Toursim Department and Visit Las Cruces. These trips are always fun—but beyond that, they’re fascinating. Watching each content creator experience the dunes through their own lens has become one of my favorite parts of going.
One person brings a ball gown and shoots cinematic sunset portraits. Another races down the slopes on a sled, hair flying, pure joy in motion. Someone else might focus on sound design, capturing the quiet whoosh of shifting sand underfoot. Each person adds their own voice to the story of White Sands, and the result is a beautiful mosaic of what’s possible when people connect with place.
It’s a reminder that these parks don’t just offer scenery—they spark imagination. I just love being able to take people there, usually for the first time!
Planning Your Own Visit
If you’ve never been to White Sands National Park, consider this your sign to go. Here are a few tips to help make the most of it:
Getting There: The park is just outside Alamogordo, about an hour from Las Cruces and roughly 3.5 hours from Albuquerque.
Best Times: Mornings and late afternoons are best for cooler temps and dramatic lighting.
What to Do:
Sled the dunes – Bring your own or pick one up at the Visitor Center.
Hike – Try the Alkali Flat Trail if you want to get off the beaten path.
Picnic – There are shaded tables with unbeatable views and you can bring your own food into the Park.
Photography – The textures, light, and surreal landscape are a photographer’s dream.
Pack Essentials: Water, sun protection, sunglasses, snacks, and your sense of adventure.
Check for Closures: Because it’s adjacent to White Sands Missile Range, the park occasionally closes—check the NPS website before you go.
Why Our National Parks Matter
While we celebrate the beauty and access of places like White Sands, it’s important to remember that our National Parks are not guaranteed. They need care, attention—and right now, they need our voices.
Federal funding for the National Park Service has been stretched thin for years, and recent proposed budget cuts could lead to staff reductions, program cuts, and reduced access for the public. That means fewer rangers, shorter hours, and delayed maintenance in the very places we rely on for inspiration, recreation, and reflection.
But we don’t have to be silent about it.
💡 Here’s how you can help:
Contact your representatives and let them know that public lands and National Park funding matter to you. Ask them to oppose cuts to the National Park Service budget.
Support organizations like the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), National Park Foundation, and your local park friends groups.
Visit the parks! Entrance fees help support operations, and your presence sends a message: these places matter.
Share your stories. Talk about why these spaces are meaningful to you. Post. Write. Speak up. Your personal connection can inspire others to care.
A Place That Grows With You
I’ve visited White Sands as a young mother with little ones in tow, as a guide for groups of creatives, and now, in this new chapter of life, planning to visit with more time to wander and reflect. Every time feels different, and yet the same. It’s always grounding. Always awe-inspiring. Always worth the drive.
This National Park Week, I’m grateful not just for the beauty of places like White Sands—but for the chance to belong to them, and to help protect them.
Let’s keep showing up, speaking up, and sharing the magic.
Forever in awe. 🤍