Hiking and Camping at White Sands National Park with Kids

Planning a vacation out to the Western United States? Looking for a beautiful day or two stop on your longer vacation? Well, look no further than White Sands National Park. Your eyes will be amazed with these very special dunes that aren’t snow and not quite sand either. These gypsum sand dunes are a unique sight to see and experience, especially if you are traveling to White Sands National Park with kids. This 275 square mile national park is a hidden gem for family exploration.

What is White Sands National Park?

White Sands National Park is the perfect playground for children. Hidden in the center of the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico, this national park is a rare find full of gypsum sand sand dunes for the whole family to explore. It is surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range between Alamogordo and Las Cruces, New Mexico. While White Sands has been a National Monument since 1933, it has recently been reclassified as a National Park in 2019.

The Tularosa Basin lies between two different mountain ranges, giving this national park some unique features. The San Andres Mountains to the West and the Sacramento Mountains to the East provide the perfect landscape for everchanging dunes ranging from 10 to 60 feet. In addition, White Sands National Parks is the home to over 300 species of plants and 300 species of animals with 45 of those animals living only in this national park!

Best time to go to White Sands National Park

We highly suggest planning your visit to White Sands National Park in the spring or fall. During these months, daytime temperatures will range between 75 – 80 degrees, while evenings may fall as low as 40 degrees. The rainy season does begin in early July and continue through late September, where thunderstorms are common in the late afternoon and evening. The fall months tend to see sunny days with light winds, while the sunny spring months have much stronger winds. These winds may reach 50 mph.

The summer tends to bring a lot of heat. Temperatures average 95 degree, but can reach 110 degrees easily. Evenings tend to be much cooler with temperatures averaging in the 60s. If you are planning a trip in the summer, be ready for some rain and a thunderstorm or two. July through September is considered the rainy season, where the national park receives the majority of its 10 inches of precipitation during the year.

Winter is much colder, but can be a fun time to visit as well. Daily high temperatures range in the 60s, while low temperatures can fall to 20 degrees. White Sands National Park doesn’t see a lot of snow, but an occasional winter storm may bring some rain or even light snow.

We arrived on a rather windy spring day. Even though we encountered wind advisories during our trip, our family had an amazing day full of hiking and sledding in the White Sands National Park. So don’t let a little rain, snow, or wind prevent you from making the trip.

What does it cost to visit and Hours of Operation?

White Sands National Park is a fairly easy national park to visit. It offers a 7-day pass per vehicle for $25. If you decide to walk or bike to the park, the charge is $15 per person, which is also valid for 7 days. The America the Beautiful Pass is accepted at White Sands National Park. This means that if you have a 4th grader, you can apply for the Interagency 4th grader pass to enter White Sands National Park for free.

The White Sands National Park opens at 7am every day with a closing time between 8 or 9pm depending on the season. The 8pm closing time usually begins in September. The Visitor Center at White Sands National Park is generally open from 9am to 5pm daily. We highly suggest planning to stop by the visitor center during to grab your Junior Ranger books as you explore the national park.

Missile Testing

Before venturing over to White Sands National Park for the day, you will want to check the park closures page. On occasion, Dunes Drive, the only road into White Sands National Park closes for up to 3 hours. These closures generally take place early in the morning, but may occur at any time during the day. Usually these closures are reported on the park closures pages 2 weeks in advance, but on occasion closures may change the day of as well. Therefore, it is always best to check again the night before or the morning of your trip.

Dunes Drive closes when White Sands Missile Range conducts their regular missile tests for the safety of all visitors. However, if you arrive prior to the closure, you can still enjoy your day at White Sands National Park. Just be sure to time your leaving of the park for after the road reopens. These closures are usually short, only about 3 hours. So even if you only have one day at White Sands National Park, you can usually plan your visit for before or after the road closure and still have a good few hours to enjoy the national park.

What to bring for your trip to White Sands National Park with Kids?

Since White Sands National Park is located in New Mexico and tends to be very sunny throughout the year, it is important to plan ahead. This is especially true if you are bringing young children along with you.

We have our children each pack a special hydration pack. These packs carry 2 liters of water and have plenty of pockets for a few other important items. Within the pack, each of our children carries a headlamp, first aid kits, snack, whistle, and sunglasses. We also have one child or adult add sunscreen and bug spray to a pack. With these sunny days, you may in fact want two forms of sun protection. We absolutely love these high visibility hats so we can spot our children anywhere! These are our go to packs for any hiking or camping that we plan.

To add to your special White Sands National Park experience, you should consider a few additional items. We highly suggest bringing along a sled and some wax. However, depending on your camping or lodging experience, you may find you don’t need to pack these items as they can be checked out from your lodging either for free or a minimal charge. If you happen to forget your sled and wax, you can stop by the gift shop to purchase them. Just know that lines are usually long and the sleds are overpriced. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a sled left on along the roadside, but definitely don’t count on this!

White Sands National Park Camping

White Sands National Park offers a backcountry camping experience. This means that you can apply for a special permit to tent camp at the national park. These permits are issued at the park the day you plan to camp. We highly suggest having a back up camping location just in case the campground is closed or full for the day. There is currently no RV camping at White Sands National Park. However, there are a few camping locations near the national park.

We stayed at the Alamogordo/White Sands KOA Campground and couldn’t have been happier. This campground is located only about 20 miles from the national park with an easy drive in. Not only did they offer full service sites, but the campground is so family friendly. The RV sites were pull-through, which is always a plus.

There is a wonderful playground located close to most sites, with a seasonally open pool. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained and the grounds were beautiful, with many of the local plants labeled. But the absolutely best perk was the very friendly staff. Not only did the offer recommendations to visit and have all the knowledge of the local towns, but they offered FREE sleds and wax to check out for your day at White Sands National Park.

Another great option is the campground at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. This state park is about 24 miles from White Sands National Park. The campground offers water and electric only sites but does have a dump station on the grounds. There are showers and restrooms available as well.

The Desert Paradise Campground is located 12 miles from White Sands National Park and is another option for families. This is a mobile home and RV park and offers both spaces for rent. For the RV campers, they offer both 30 and 50 amp hookups with showers and laundry facilities available.

White Sands RV Community is another option for local camping near White Sands National Park. This campground is 14 miles from the national park. They offer full hookups for both 30 and 50 amp RVs as well as spacious clubhouse. There is a playground, basketball court, tennis court, swimming pool and a few other recreation activities. In addition, showers, restrooms, and laundry are available on site for campers and manufactured home rentals.

White Sands National Park Hiking Safety Tips

There are a few safety tips for hiking and camping at White Sands National Park, especially when you are enjoying your day with kids. First, plan for plenty of water. The heat of White Sands National Park may not seem like much, but it is a desert and your body tends to lose more water than expected. Plan to bring at least 1 gallon of water per person per day.

Once you leave the visitor center, there is no water available in the dunes area, so it’s best to plan ahead. Along with water it is important to replenish with a healthy snack as well. While hiking in the desert, it is not uncommon to need a little extra salt, so pretzels and crackers can be a wonderful addition to a snack.

Second, plan for the weather. If you are traveling during the summer plans, plan for excessive heat. We love to bring along some sunscreen and a hat. July through September is also the rainy season where thunderstorms may occur. There can also be lightning without rain, so keep an eye on the sky and stay near a possible shelter. When traveling during the windy season, February to May, keep an eye out for dust storms and bring along a mask just in case.

Next, remind your children to be safe in the gypsum sand. This sand is not quite like other beach sand. Gypsum sand is quite heavy and may collapse on itself if your child is digging in the sand. This can lead to being buried in the sand or possible suffocation. Another caution with the sand is choosing sledding sand dunes carefully. As the dunes are constantly shifting and changing, be mindful of where you sled. You will want to avoid sledding hills that end in the street or parking lot for safety.

Finally, be mindful of the local wildlife. Always be mindful of where you walk, place your hands, and sit down. This national park is home to a few venomous creatures like rattlesnakes, scorpions, and black widow spiders. The best way to avoid these creatures is to stay on the trails and open sand areas. Try to keep your children out of the vegetation and plant life.

Must Do Activities for Visiting White Sands National Park with Kids

While traveling to White Sands National Park with kids, we found that 1 or 2 days is the perfect amount of time in the park. We planned for the better part of a day and had plenty of time to complete the junior ranger program, enjoy a few sled runs, and take a stroll along a couple of shorter hikes.

Become a Junior Ranger

On your drive into White Sands National Park, stop by the visitor center and pick up your junior ranger books. Just remember, that while the national park opens at 7am, the visitor center opens at 9am. So if you are planning an early arrival, may try out a few hikes or some sledding before making your way to the visitor center. As a side note, the parking lot at the visitor center is a little small, so try to drop off your RV before making the drive in.

Our children, ages 3, 6, 8, and 11, had no trouble completing their junior ranger books in one day. Many of the activities can be completed while sledding or hiking within the national park. And of course, so many of the hikes have informative signs that help with the junior ranger program. On your way out of the park for the day, stop by the visitor center to receive your junior ranger badges. Just remember, the visitor center usually closes at 5pm, even though the national park is open later.

There is a gift shop located at the visitor center as well. If you have forgotten your sled or wax, you can pick up some here.

Scenic Drive

Start with the 8 mile scenic drive to the back of the dunes field. Trust us, you’ll find the better sledding dunes back here. The first 5 miles of the drive is paved, while the final 3 miles are a hard packed gypsum sand road. We had no trouble making this drive, but it was a little dusty. Along the drive, you will find a few vault toilet bathrooms, some hiking trails, and parking areas to enjoy the view.

Be sure to drive slowly as many families will stop along the way for sledding. The children may end their sled run in the middle of the street. So while you are watching for animals and taking in the beautiful scenery, keep an eye out for children and sleds as well. Occasionally, you will find an abandoned sled on the side of the road left behind for new travelers.

Go Dune Sledding!

Once you arrive at the end of the 8 mile Dunes Drive, let your kids explore the gypsum sand. This is the perfect place to climb up a few of the dunes and enjoy some sledding. This area is open hiking, which means you can walk through the dunes without the worry of needing to stay on the trails. Try to pick a few dunes to sled on that end in the dunes and not the street or parking areas for safety.

Before sledding, apply some wax to the bottom of the sled. This will help the sled to glide over the gypsum sand and make a smoother ride for your child. You will need to apply the wax every few sled runs. I think we found 3 – 4 sled rides per wax application was optimal, but this will really depend on your sleds. Then let your kids explore and enjoy the sledding.

One caution is to watch where you step. Not only might you spot an animal, but you may also find the sand moving as you walk. While our older children had no issues walking on the sand, our youngest preferred to hold a hand. Often times the sand would move and she would sink down into the sand a little, making her next step more difficult. After about an hour of walking on the gypsum sand, she was running around like a pro with her bigger siblings.

Take a self-guided Native Plant or Wildlife Hike

Once your children have had their fill of sledding, or you are ready to make your way back towards the visitor center, plan to stop for some hikes on your drive back. If your children are anything like ours, you will need to drag them away from the sledding hills to enjoy a few hikes and learn more about this amazing national park.

There are 3 short hikes that are great for all members of the family from toddlers to grandparents. Within White Sands National Park, you will also find 2 longer hikes. We choose to skip these hikes on this trip, but think that our children would have loved them as well. Our 3 year old may have needed to ride in her backpack hiker, but both would be wonderful to add into your trip if time allows.

Best Hikes for Toddlers in White Sands National Park

We enjoyed the Interdune Boardwalk hike, which is a fully accessible 0.4 mile round trip easy hike on a boardwalk. The boardwalk has signs and interactive exhibits along the path for your children to enjoy. All the information gained here was super helpful for earning the junior ranger badges. This hike is 4.5 miles from the visitor center, near where the road turns to gypsum sand.

Our second hike for the day was the Playa Trail. This is a 0.5 mile round trip easy hike. The hike leads to a small playa, or a low-lying area that may fill with water during thunderstorms. This trail looks different depending on the time of the year you attend and is a great place to explore the scenery for local plants and animals. Additionally, there are 5 interactive signs throughout the trail that will help with completing the junior ranger program. This hike is located 2.5 miles from the visitor center.

Finally, try out the Dune Life Nature Trail. This trail is 1.6 mile moderate loop hike. There are 14 trail signs to learn about the animals that call While Sands National Park home. On this trail, the desert and gypsum sand dunes meet to form a unique ecosystem. Be sure to keep an eye out for signs of animal life like footprints in the sand. You may see a few birds or other animals, but many of the animals at White Sands National Park are nocturnal to avoid the heat of the summer sun.

Along this trail you will climb two steep dunes and walk through soft gypsum shifting sand. It is extra important to keep an eye on the trail markers on this hike and always look for the next sign before continuing on the trail. This hikes is also located about 2.5 miles from the visitor center.

Two More Hikes at White Sands National Park

Backcountry Camping Trail is a 2 mile moderate round trip hike. On this hike you will climb over several steep dunes and walk on soft sand. This hikes is perfect for kids who love to climb but don’t mind walking in sinking sand. You will find the backcountry camping trail about 6 miles from the visitor center.

A more strenuous 5 mile hike can be found in the Alkali Flat Trail. This hike has a little bit of a misleading name, since the trail is anything but flat. The name for this trail comes from the destination at the end, the Alkali Flat, or the dry lakebed of Lake Otero. You will hike up and over steep dunes along this trail where you will find some of the national parks biggest dunes but little vegetation. There is no shade, no water, and no bathrooms along this trail. The closest bathrooms are located at the trail head about 7 miles from the visitor center.

What are some things to do near White Sands?

There are a few other local attractions that you can add to any trip into White Sands New Mexico. These are additional stops that can easily become the highlight to your trip, well besides sledding in a national park because well, what can beat that.

New Mexico Museum of Space History

This museum is actually rather special because it is a museum and planetarium all in one. Inside you will find the International Space Hall of Fame and highlights of New Mexico’s role in the U.S. Space Program. The price per person is $8 for adults and $6 for children under 12, unless you little one is under 3, then they can enter for free. This museum offers exhibits as well as the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium for special views of the night sky.

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to either 4 or 5pm depending on the season. The New Mexico Museum of Space History is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. But be sure to check out their website for the most accurate information.

Alameda Park Zoo

If you are looking for more fun in the outdoors, why not stop at the Alameda Park Zoo. It’s claim to fame is that it is the oldest zoo in the southwest United States. The zoo is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Within the zoo there are nearly 200 animals and a playground for the children. Children under 4 are free, while children 4 – 12 cost $2.50 and anyone over 13 costs $4 for admission to this zoo.

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is one of the few areas preserved for its rock art. There is a short 0.5 mile trail connecting many of the sites most interesting petroglyphs created by the Jornada Mogollon people. There is a $5 per vehicle entry fee for the day. In addition, you can also RV camp on this location if you are still searching for a place to camp for the day. The gates open at 8am daily and close at either 5pm or 7pm depending on the season, staying open later in the summer months.

Toy Train Depot and Museum

And of course for our train lovers, be sure to stop by the Toy Train Depot and Museum. This museum features over 1000 model trains and memorabilia from the early 1900s. The museum is open on Friday and Saturdays from 11 – 4pm and Sundays from 10 – 4pm. The cost is $8 per person for the museum entrance and train ride or just $5 for either the museum or train ride.

We’d Love to Connect with You

Have you been to White Sands National Park (or White Sands National Monument prior to 2019)? If so, drop us a comment below and let us know what you loved about the park and any recommendations you may have. If you haven’t, we would definitely suggest adding White Sands National Park to any family vacation passing through or near New Mexico. It is well worth the extra stop.

For more great family camping and hiking, be sure to check out our posts on Family Safety Tips for Hiking with Kids, Kid-friendly Stunning Big Bend Hikes, 5 Day Itinerary to Hiking Big Bend with Kids, Driving from Guadalupe Mountains National Park to Big Bend National Park, and Hiking at Guadalupe Mountains National Park with Kids. Looking for more content from us, we’d love it if you would subscribe to our newsletter. We send out two newsletters a month with family friendly tips and often include a freebie to help parents problem solve real-life family problems in practical ways.

Hi, I’m Nicole.

Here at Creatingbutterflies we provide families with practical solutions to real life problems for everything parenting, scouting, dual language, and enjoying time outdoors. We are a family of 6 with 4 wonderful becoming bilingual children who loves scouting, camping, and hiking with their family. Mom is an educator and dad is a firefighter/paramedic.