Just a few minutes of a White Sands National Park tour is all you need to see why the park is sometimes called one of the unsung wonders of the world. As soon as you enter the park, you’re greeted by an endless sea of rolling dunes, white as snow and shining brightly in the New Mexico sun. Although you can find small patches of white sand elsewhere in the world, White Sands National Park is the only large dune field of its kind on the planet and a sight that has to be seen to be believed.
The reason why the dunes at White Sands are colored white is that they’re made of gypsum crystals, rather than the silica that makes up most inland sand. Gypsum is naturally clear, but as the grains rub and bump against each other, they develop scratches that reflect light, giving the sand its bright white coloring.
Gypsum sand can be found in small patches elsewhere in the world, but it dissolves easily in water and is often washed away by rain. Since White Sands is located in a basin surrounded by mountains, the dissolved gypsum doesn’t have anywhere to go and just stays in place as the water evaporates, allowing the dunes to form.
As the world’s largest gypsum dune field, White Sands is a unique destination that offers sights that can’t be replicated anywhere else on the planet. Tourists travel from all over the planet to walk barefoot in the sand – gypsum doesn’t absorb heat, so it’s cool to the touch even in summer – or race down the dunes on sleds.
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.
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