welcome to
White Sands National Park
Originally established as White Sands National Monument by President Herbert Hoover who used the Antiquities Act in 1933. Redesignated as a national park through legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2019
Place:
LOCATION:
Otero and Doña Ana counties in south-central New Mexico’s Tularosa Basin
Place:
LOCATION:
Otero and Doña Ana counties in south-central New Mexico’s Tularosa Basin
Learn MOre
Attraction
The dunes of White Sands are composed of gypsum crystals and comprise the largest gypsum dunefield on Earth. The park is also home to thousands of animal species including at least 45 that are found nowhere else on Earth. In 2009, researchers unearthed fossilized footprints that are potentially the oldest known human footprints in North America. Human history in the area stretches back over 23,000 years, including histories of indigenous habitation, Spanish colonization, ranching, mining, space exploration, and military weapons development.
705,127
People Visited in 2022
572
Jobs Supported by Visitation
Business
Heart of the Desert Pistachios & Wine
Location
7288 Hwy 54/70, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Owner
Marianne Schweers
Local Spotlight
Businesses Benefiting from White Sands
How has White Sands National Park benefitted your business directly?
As the oldest pistachio farm in the area, Heart of the Desert started with 400 trees and we now have 13,000 mature trees. The number of tourists has increased so much with the National Park designation. But, when folks come to our area, they are not just seeing the park, they stay and see what else in the community, like our operation. And, we can always tell when folks have visited the park based on the white sand we see in our parking lots!
How does White Sands National Park impact the local community and the state of New Mexico?
There are people from all over the world who have been to White Sands and they spend their time and money locally. They buy gas, stay in our hotels, and shop at local businesses, including buying pistachios and wine from us. Their spending helps local business owners pay employees, boosts the local tax base, and circulates through our economy. And visitors usually don’t come to visit just one destination; White Sands is often part of an itinerary that includes other parks and monuments in the region and across the state. With the international notoriety of White Sands National Park, folks come here and then get to visit all of the other beautiful places we have while adding to other local economies.