Photographer's notebook
Lose Yourself in the Mystique of White Sands National Monument
Daylight fades behine a lone yucca at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico.
White Sands, New Mexico. If you’ve heard of it, you’re either a history buff or a landscape photographer. White Sands was the test site for the infamous Manhattan Project and also is one of the most beautiful albeit otherworldly places in North America.
Nestled into Southeastern New Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert are 275 square miles of gypsum dunes. This is the largest pure gypsum dune field in the world. Gypsum is a water soluble material. Consequently it can only accumulate in extremely dry environments. The Tularosa Basin, besides being sufficiently dry, also is an area that has no drainage. Rain, when it does fall, has no where to go. Dissolved gypsum dries and is then recycled into the dunes.
Unlike sand, these dunes are almost completely white and very fine. At first glance, they look covered in snow. At twilight the shapes and shadows create an eerie feeling. It’s completely quiet and if you’re all alone, you start to feel like you have somehow been transported to a magical place. It’s a bit disorienting, as well. White dunes spread as far as the eye can see until they abruptly end at dark mountains in the distance. Commonly, distant mountains whitened by snow are the expected sight, so this view is strikingly upside down…and it’s so quiet.
Don’t forget to pack:
Camera
Tripod
Compass/
GPS
Park map
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Water
Snacks
KA-BOOM. Oh, yes, White Sands Missile Range. Damn, that scared the crap out of me, but it brought me back to reality. That was the only explosion I heard in the two days I spent at White Sands National Monument. It did, however, remind me of the disconcerting truth of the nuclear age. The Manhattan Project is actually a nickname for Manhattan Engineer District. The innocuous name seemed less likely, I suppose, to arouse the suspicion of spies. Something like “Hey, Let’s Blow Up Another Culture Project” might arouse the angst of otherwise loyal citizens as well.
As it worked out, the United States beat the world to the nuclear age with a 20 kiloton nuclear explosion. Now 20 kilotons means absolutely nothing to me, but there are stories of betting pools on the results of the test that put things into perspective. Scientists and engineers bet on results from “complete dud” to “18 kilotons of TNT” to “destruction of the state of New Mexico.” Now that I can understand. It kind of makes me wonder how it ever got authorized, given the potential consequences.
Let’s hope that we never use these devices again and instead just go out and play in the sand. You can walk wherever you’d like within the monument. It’s quite easy hiking everywhere except on the slip-faces of the dunes. Walking is much easier than on a typical beach since the gypsum packs more than common sand. But beware: Once you hike over a dune or two, it starts to look alike all around you. Definitely bring a compass, at the very least. A GPS and a cell phone aren’t a bad idea either, and don’t forget the water. The desert is not a good place to be wandering around, lost with no water. If you are outdoor savvy and pay attention, clear days aren’t much of a problem since the eight-mile access road runs pretty much north and south and the surrounding mountain ranges are quite distinctive, but unexpected dust storms do happen. How do you suppose those dunes move?
Unlike sand, these dunes are almost completely white and very fine. At first glance, they look covered in snow.
Yup, they move all right, as much as 30 feet each year. The evidence is apparent on the drive in, where you see cottonwood trees half swallowed by the dunes. A grader plows sand from the road as if it is plowing snow. No, I don’t think I’d like to be caught out here in a dust storm and not know EXACTLY which way to get back to my car.
Exploring the Dunes
It’s unfortunate that the park doesn’t open until 7 a.m. At daybreak the westerly mountains are awash with an alpenglow that contrasts sharply with the mostly black-and-white image below. Here I am, with my camera and tripod, faced with the decision to gain the best perspective possible for a landscape or to just watch the show. It doesn’t last long and the only way to view the entire show is to spend the night in the one backcountry camping site available. The White Sands website states that no camping is available. It is, but one can’t count on it since it’s available only on a first-come-first-served basis. Read the website thoroughly, whether you intend to camp or not, because it’s packed with useful information. For example, it’s nice to be aware that the park and/or Route 70 can be occasionally closed for missile testing purposes.
The harsh desert environment produces plants of similar disposition—straggly and pointed. Think Wicked Witch of the West reborn as a plant.
Route selection is fun and adventurous. I realized once that I had carelessly forgotten my compass in the car. After carefully noting the mountain views on either side, I constantly was on the watch for signs of foul weather that would disrupt my mental map of the return trip to the car. Springtime tends to be the windy season. Although it’s not yet spring—it’s early February—I think about how hopelessly lost I could get within the dunes without visible landmarks. There is seldom a straight line to take through the dunes. Picture yourself winding through pure white dunes as tall as a two-story home. From the tops you can see for miles, from the bottom only far enough to find a path to the top of the next one. It’s nearly impossible to walk up most slip-faces. Walking along the cryptobiotic crust in the interdune areas is as frowned upon as stepping on alpine flora on popular mountain peaks. A later conversation with a park ranger reveals that about a dozen or so people get lost within the park each year. Imagine being there all alone and no one even knows you are missing. This is, after all, a desert. Even in the moderate 60-degree weather I’m enjoying, I’m glad I brought sufficient water and snacks in my camera bag.
The park has only four marked trails. Ironically, it’s often more difficult to walk on the trails than “bushwhacking” since traffic tends to loosen the packed gypsum. Not that there are many bushes to whack, mind you. One of the “trails” is actually a boardwalk—a nice feature for those who cannot negotiate the natural areas.
Animals are rare in the dunes during daytime, but the plants and dunes create sensational images of light and shadow. Sometimes white, most times some shade of blue, the color and texture changes constantly. While the official checklist of plants is lengthy, to the layman it seems there are only about a dozen or so different varieties. The edges of the dune fields hold the largest share of plants. For the most part, they don’t invite your touch. The harsh desert environment produces plants of similar disposition—straggly and pointed. Think Wicked Witch of the West reborn as a plant. The gypsum is alkalai, contains little nutrition, and only receives an average of 10 inches of rain per year. Add to that the constant drifting of the sand. Consequently the few plants that “thrive” here are highly adaptive though not necessarily beautiful by themselves.
If you or your companions get bored with the scenery, sleds can be purchased at the gift shop.
The best way to visit White Sands is to be at the gate at 7 a.m. to enjoy the views in whatever way you’d prefer. Then explore the visitor center, with its informative personnel, photographs, science and nature exhibits. It’s pretty easy to spend at least an hour there between the gift shop and the exhibits. Eat lunch (bring your own, only snacks are available at the center), stock up on water, then head back into the dunes until sunset. If you or your companions get bored with the scenery, sleds can be purchased at the gift shop. Though I didn’t try it, I have to admit that it looks fun, maybe a little gritty.
Sunset is nearly as beautiful as the sunrise and you have the advantage of viewing it in its entirety. Photographers, bring your tripods. The white sand extends shootable daylight for another 20 minutes or so, but only with a tripod. Be warned, however, that the gate closes at a specific time. Take into account how long it will take to get back to your car and to drive back to the gate before it closes.
The length of your stay depends upon the attention span and level of interest of your group. Children may become bored after a day. Photographers will want to be here for at least two days, maybe more. I was here for two and would have been happy with another two. New Mexico has a lot of natural sites to explore. Make a list of possibilities and visit one or all of them as your whim dictates and you shouldn’t be disappointed.
For more photos of White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, please visit the "Conservation Areas" Album in our Photo Galleries.
WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT, NEW MEXICO
Mail address: P.O. Box 1086, Holloman AFB, NM 88330
Internet: www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm
E-mail: use form on website
Park information: (575) 679-2599
Hours: Open daily, year round. Gates open in fall/winter, 7 a.m.–sunset;
in summer, 7 a.m. –9 p.m. The park and/or Route 70 can be occasionally closed for missile testing purposes; call ahead to check on closings.
Entrance fees: $3 per person (good for 7 days); free for ages 15 and younger
Safety tip: Don’t forget your sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays are stronger at higher altitudes. Combine that with the hot, dry, desert environment and the reflectivity of the gypsum sand and you have the recipe for a serious sunburn.
Lodging: Closest lodging is in Alamogordo (14 miles); also nearby is Las Cruces (52 miles). For more information, visit www.alamogordo.com or www.lascrucescvb.org.
Other resources: To find other natural sites to explore in New Mexico, visit www.newmexico.org/parks/index.php.