May 5 - White Sands National Monument

The drive on Friday May 5 from Carlsbad, NM to Alamogordo and White Sands National Monument was a fascinating contrast of flat dry desert, enormous mountains, and blinding white sand gypsum. At no extra charge was incredible blue sky and a missile launch.  Cool!

White Sands National Monument is in a basin between the rugged Sacramento Mountains on the east and San Andres Mountains to the west.  We crossed the desert and slowly climbed to 8700', then dropped into Alamogordo at 4300' in about 15 miles.  As we were coming down the long hill, we could see the white sands in the distance - 275 square miles of beauty.

Those are the Sacramento Mountains in the background.

Perhaps you've heard of the White Sands Missile Range?  When we pulled up to the gate to White Sands National Monument, it was closed for a missile test.  Found out it was a NASA missile and NPS (in cooperation with the military) close the road across the missile range about twice a week.

A successful launch

We could see the white contrail as the missile streaked skyward, about 10 miles away.

One thing White Sands is known for is sledding down the dunes.  The gift shop will sell and then buy back (at a discount) a plastic saucer for sliding down the dunes. Not a lot of speed and the walk back up to the top will definitely get your heart pumping.  But it's fun!

Because this is gypsum rather than silica sand (like we have at Panama City Beach), the dunes never get hot.  And just a couple of inches beneath the white sand surface is water. It's that water that holds the dunefield together.  The gypsum will be blown and envelope plants and cover the road, but the sand dunes won't "blow away."

Millions of years ago, the Permian Sea 

covered this area. When the sea retreated, deep layers of gypsum were left behind.  Continental drift caused the mountains to be pushed up, exposing the gypsum which wind and water carried into the basin creating the white sand dunes.  Those are the San Andres Mountains in the background. 

We did have perfect timing for a Sunset Stroll through the white sand dunes.  You can see how the sign is surrounded and the road gets covered every day by the drifting sand.  

Sunset Stroll is a ranger led hike...about an hour...that ends in an awesome sunset (usually).  Plants and animals have evolved to adapt to this white sands environment.  The yucca sends that tall shoot up high so it won't be buried and the seeds can be disbursed farther.  What color is a mouse?  The pocket mouse and bleached earless lizard found at White Sands are both a much lighter color than species in nearby desert.  This helps reflect heat and makes them less visible to predators.  

This beetle didn't get the message.  😊  He's just entering a footprint.   

But we did get a good sunset!  

After several days of grandson time, we're headed to the Grand Canyon on Monday morning.  Had a wonderful visit here in Phoenix.  We check in with Xanterra on Tuesday and our adventure in the GC begins.  

Happy Trails!  Jordan