Sled Down the Dunes of White Sands, New Mexico
White Sands National Park is a 145,762 acre park that is covered by beautiful dunes of white sand. These fields of white dunes are composed of gypsum crystals which give it its amazing color. The gypsum dune field in White Sands, NM is the largest on Earth. Enjoy nature hikes, exciting sand sledding, camping and incredible photo opportunities at White Sands National Park.
White Sands National Park was established in 1933 as a national monument, then redesignated as a national park in 2019. The park, which was originally grasslands, lakes and streams, was created about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.
Typical sand that you would find at a beach is composed of silica. The sand at White Sands is almost pure gypsum. Gypsum is different from many other rocks because it is soluble — which means it will dissolve in water like salt. Gypsum is the product of decomposed limestone, so when rain falls on the mountains, the gypsum starts to dissolve and runs down the San Andres Mountains and Sacramento Mountains and into the Tularosa Basin below.
In the early years, White Sands was a popular picnic spot for locals. Nowadays, it takes on more than 600,000 visitors a year who come for hikes, sledding, photography and other memorable experiences. And if you are wondering, the sand at White Sands does not absorb heat from the sun — unlike traditional sand. The sands remain cool even on the hottest days so walking, rolling or laying in the sand as the hot sun towers above is not an issue.
Sledding down the dunes was a trip and a challenge … at first. Before we get into how it went and how it works, you first have to obtain the sled. You can purchase the sled and the wax (similar to snowboarding) at the main store for $18. You can sell it back to them for $5 or just keep it (we kept ours). You can also bring your own sled and skip that whole process altogether. The saucer-style sleds work best, and for optimal sledding you’ll want to wax the bottom of your sled. We don’t want to say you need the wax, but you need the wax. Cheating is a bit tough here. Wax is available to purchase at the store for $2.
Sledding Down the Dunes
If you have used a sled in the snow then good … you will be completely lost sledding down sand. Sand is not slippery and figuring out how to slide down can take some practice. First, make sure the sled is a saucer-style sled. Second, wax that baby.
Finding the Right Dune
We thought we would just wax our sled and slide right down … it didn’t work like that. We found a dune, sat on the sled and sank down in the sand. It took us a bit to realize that we needed to find a good dune to slide down on.
Find a dune that is fairly steep. Look for already-created paths to make sledding much easier for you. If not, create your own path a few times down the dune and then have at it. Once you figure it out it’s a blast — especially for the kiddos.
There are plenty of areas for picnicking around White Sands so feel free to pack enough food if you want to make a day out of it. The entire park seems a bit surreal at times and creates some amazing experiences. We only spent a day there, but we enjoyed every minute of it and would absolutely go back.
Cost of Adventure
- Per vehicle: $25 (for 7 days)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total distance: N/A
- Calories burned: 100 – 500
- Time suggested: 1-2 hour
- Family friendly: YES
- Park size: 145,762 acres
Challenge Yourself
The art of sledding down sand dunes can not be undersold. Any three year old can slide down snow, but not sand, my friend. No, sir. Your challenge here at White Sands National Park is to figure out how to slide down the sand dunes. Once you master this skill you’ll be able to run the world. Congrats.
Find Great Photo Ops
Between the photogenic white sands, incredible landscapes and stunning night sky, White Sands National Park offers some incredible photo opportunities that you don’t want to miss. With the white sand acting as your canvas there are plenty of colorful and creative pictures waiting to be taken.
