A White Sands National Park tour is a terrific option for families with children. The park’s iconic white dunes are safe to climb on, the hiking trails are generally short and very easy, and kids love getting to walk in the soft gypsum sand barefoot without burning their feet, even in the summer heat. For a little extra fun, rent a sled from the visitor’s center (or bring your own) and spend some time flying up and down the dunes – a popular activity for kids visiting the park. The visitor’s center also has some educational exhibits and takes part in the Junior Ranger program.

If you bring your kids to White Sands National Park, there are a few things you should keep in mind during your visit. Make sure you bring plenty of food and water since the desert can get pretty hot and there are only a few limited options at the visitor’s center. We’d recommend packing a picnic lunch and finding somewhere to sit and eat out among the dunes.

Try to stick relatively close to the trails; it’s easy to get turned around if you wander among the dunes, and the sand can hide venomous snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, and painful cactus plants. Finally, White Sands National Park is located directly adjacent to the White Sands Missile Range, one of the largest such ranges in the world. In fact, the famous “Trinity” nuclear bomb test recently dramatized in Oppenheimer took place at White Sands. While you won’t have to worry about missiles landing on your heads during your visit, there are unexploded bombs and missile parts buried all over the park, so let a ranger know if you spot one.

To make the most of your trip, check out our White Sands National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ and gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.