Winter is The Best Time of Year to Visit White Sands National Park
Given that I only had a weekend, I opted for the swiftest option.
Here are my tips for exploring one of America’s newest national parks, White Sands National Park:
1. Winter is hands down…
About five years ago, I hiked around Guadalupe Mountains National Park—making a pitstop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park since it was in the vicinity. I honestly agreed to the detour because of its national park designation. After walking through caverns before, I wasn’t sure how Carlsbad would be any different. I was clearly wrong after the cave tour led by a ranger who even sang in the dark depths of a cave tunnel to portray the incredible acoustics found down in the depths of those caverns.
Also in southern New Mexico, nearby Carlsbad Caverns, is White Sands National Park. At the time it was a designated national monument. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of sand, I didn’t make any effort with the friends I was traveling with to justify another detour before we headed back to Austin, Texas.
Naturally when White Sands received the designation of national park in 2019, I was peeved I didn’t explore it when I had the chance. When would I make a trip down to southern New Mexico again for this park?
Fast forward to last summer when I was on the search for a winter marathon. The only cold marathon I could find in January? The inaugural Las Cruces marathon. Las Cruces, New Mexico happens to be about a forty-minute drive from White Sands National Park.
I didn’t need any convincing. I was sold.
After a little planning and a few months of training, I ran my best marathon yet, and enjoyed a visit to my 41st national park in great company.
I flew into El Paso’s international airport as it’s only an hour from Las Cruces, New Mexico. If I had more time, I would have flown to another airport in New Mexico and roadtripped around the state. Given that I only had a weekend, I opted for the swiftest option.
Here are my tips for your visit to one of America’s newest national parks, White Sands National Park:
1. Winter is hands down the best time of year to visit.
It’s the off-season. Lines were non-existent and temperatures were mild. I despise extremely warm temperatures, so visiting this park right after New Year’s made me enjoy it so much more than I would have in the summer when I’m usually traveling.
2. Check sunset times before planning the next day’s visit.
Living in New England, the sun sets rather early in the winters. I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my weather app and noticed how “late” sunset was at White Sands for my visit.
Knowing what time the sun sets helped me adjust the day’s schedule to arrive to the park earlier than I was originally planning to in order to capture all of sunset.
3. Give yourself extra travel time to arrive.
Whether it’s the immigration stop, obtaining a National Parks Pass, or adding a new magnet to your collection at the Visitor Center – you may want to come well in advance of sunset to savor the sun before it falls behind the ridgeline.
The first evening I visited, I naively thought I could just park right away and catch sunset minutes before. Little did I realize I would need time to find parking, walk across the sand a bit, and find a good spot. By the time I did that, the sun had already set past the mountain range in the distance.
I lucked out when I turned around and saw a full moon ascending above the other mountain range as a pastel palette colored the sky.
4. Park at Sunset Stroll and wander.
There truly is no wrong away to go about exploring the sand dunes at White Sands. There are a few longer hikes out onto the sand, but it can easily be a park you visit for a few hours. If I return, I’d love to backcountry camp overnight on the sand to see the sunrise.
On both of my visits, I parked near the Sunset Stroll sign, which has ample parking. This is also the designated spot for a ranger-led walk. It’s a few miles into the park.
The park itself has less than ten miles of road.
I walked over a sand wall that honestly looks like snow on a New England street after the plows went through, and traversed until the only light that guided me came from the moon.
5. If you have time for a longer trek, try out the Alkali Flats trail.
Alkali Flats is White Sands’ longest hike. It’s a five-mile loop, and despite its “flat” name, walking up sand dunes is not your daily sidewalk dog walk. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this loop.
6. Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass.
Visiting more off-the-beaten-path parks like White Sands isn’t the most affordable. A way to save (if you plan on visiting a handful of parks a year) is to purchase an annual parks pass.
Every year, I purchase the America the Beautiful pass. For $80, I can access any U.S. National Park for a year from the purchase month for free. Obviously it is not technically free, but a week’s visit to White Sands is $25. This entrance fee is valid for seven consecutive days from the day of purchase. Purchasing the annual pass also encourages me to fulfill my yearly goal of visiting two new national parks. I already paid for the pass, so it only makes sense to use at least $80 worth, right?
A handful of parks are free to enter, while others are $30. Check out this list for days that many fee-required national parks are free for a day.
Tip for New England hikers
The America the Beautiful pass also grants you free parking at national forests. For busy parking lots that charge for parking in the White Mountains National Forest, this means free parking!
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3 Colorado National Parks to Visit That Aren’t Rocky Mountain
Great Sand Dunes • Black Canyon of the Gunnison • Mesa Verde
This is in Colorado. I know, I was shocked too.
When you think of Colorado, what comes to mind? Almost immediately glimpses of Denver appear or the snow-capped summits of the Rocky Mountains range wander through your head. Denver and the Rockies definitely deserve the hype, but they aren’t all that Colorado has to offer you!
Next time you plan a trip out West, or one to Colorado specifically, add these lesser-known destinations to your must-see list. My biggest piece of advice is to purchase the Annual Parks Pass ($80). If you do a Southern Colorado trek, each of these parks have entrance fees of $15-$30, so it may be more beneficial to pay the one-time $80 cost. I’m all about saving money where I can! I happened to also be trekking to Moab, Utah, so I knew I’d save since I was also entering three parks there that each have an entrance fee.
Last summer on a cross-country road trip, the ultimate destination was Idaho. How to get there, however, was up for discussion. After some great Kansas City barbeque, Colorado seemed like it was just minutes away, so I planned for that state next on the itinerary.
Colorado is home to four national parks— one of which is way more popular than the others. Rocky Mountain National Park is well-known for good reason! It’s easily accessible from Denver and it’s breathtaking. I visited the park a few years ago, so I opted out of revisiting this time around.
Instead, I traversed southern Colorado exploring the other national parks this gorgeous state has to offer. And what I discovered is that they are each true gems that not many people know about!
While you need a permit now to enter Rocky Mountain National Park due to its extreme popularity and congestion (4.4 million visitors in 2021!), the remaining three national parks have so few visitors it’ll feel like you have the park to yourself at some times.
Though I love a good tourist moment like when you first lay eyes on the Rockies, or when you witness the exact point when Ol’ Faithful erupts, I also take great pleasure in those quieter moments. The ones that not many are able to experience.
Here are the national parks that you should definitely visit in Colorado:
1. Great Sand Dunes National Park
We all know Colorado has the mountains, but sand dunes? And North America’s tallest ones at that?
In the southwest pocket of Colorado, in the town of Mosca, that’s exactly what you’ll find. A striking mountain range that serves as a backdrop to the sheer beauty of sand several hundred feet in the sky, seemingly out of nowhere.
There are three dunes that top all the others: High Dune, Star Dune, and Hidden Dune. For all three, park at Dune Parking just past the Visitor Center.
High Dune isn’t the tallest dune, but it is the quickest to get up. If you are only passing through the park, this is the perfect one to tackle. From the parking lot, head straight up the dunes. It’s a little under 700 feet and about three miles total.
Star Dune and Hidden Dune are the tallest – Hidden is slightly taller than Star. These two are longer treks (around 6-7 miles).
This park is one of the least visited (as are the other two on this list). In 2019, Great Sand Dunes had 527, 546 visitors. Obviously that number has risen with the increase of road trips and stateside travel, but it’s still nowhere near the looks of visitor numbers in popular parks.
Tips: Start early or go later in the afternoon. Sand can really heat up. If you’re into it, rent a sandboard from town to save yourself time once you hike up. There is a water station at the parking lot to rid yourself of sand. Though it might stick around for longer than you’d like!
Best time of year to visit: Fall or winter to see the contrast of the mountainscape behind the dunes. Summer brought welcomed warmth on a windy day at the dunes. You can’t go wrong!
Where to stay: The dunes can be a day trip, but if you want to take advantage of seeing the stars at night, I would camp within the park at the designated campground, Piñon Flats.
2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The Black Canyon is one of the few places I’ve visited that left me in utter awe. This park truly is phenomenal. Located right by the charming, small town of Montrose, this park is a hidden gem. Considering it is one of the deepest canyons, it makes sense it isn’t visible to most people.
The drive in isn’t too captivating, but as soon as you stop at the first overlook, the jagged rock structures and sheer darkness along the canyon edges will surely give you a reason to not look away.
The Gunnison River in all its glory.
This park only had 432, 818 visitors in 2019. That blows my mind. There is truly something for every explorer at this park. World-renown fishing, incredible hikes, and stunning vistas.
I recommend driving down South Rim Road and stopping at each view along the way. Each trek is short and provides new angles of the canyon. I couldn’t get enough of its depth!
Tips:
Spend two days in this park. One day can be spent exploring all the overlooks and going on short hikes to see the true depths of this canyon. The next day can be spent with an obtained permit to go down into the canyon on the Gunnison route. This route is an incredible 2.7 mile hike with 1,700 ft elevation gain. The trail is minimally marked and a very limited number of hikers are allowed each day, fueling the intensity of this hike.
The first viewpoint from the entrance of the park opens up to this scaping view of the Black Canyon.
Best time of year to visit: Summer. This park is so infrequently visited that parking wasn’t an issue, neither was overcrowding at any lookout point. The roads are also closed in winter, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Where to stay: KOA in Montrose, CO. This KOA is very affordable and conveniently close to both the main street and the park. As with most KOAs, you can camp in a tent or stay in a cabin!
3. Mesa Verde National Park
These cave dwellings were built around the end of the 12th century. How wild is it that we can view (and walk among them) today?
I have had this park on my list from the beginning of my park journey. Famous for the cliff dwellings, this park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. One of the first in the United States!
Despite how incredible this park is, only a little over half a million people visited in 2019 (556,203).
I did a self-guided exploration of this park for half a day, soaking in the cliff dwellings from every angle I could and from every lookout point possible. I suggest driving along the Mesa Top Loop. This road will give you access to neat stops like the Sun Point View and views of the cliff dwellings. If you’re short on time, definitely take a ride along this loop road to absorb as much as you can.
I love imagining what it would’ve been like to discover places like this (and Machu Picchu) for the first time. Here is a cave dwelling from an overlook point.
Tips: For guided tours, book in advance! There’s nothing worse than arriving at a new park, hopeful to see something, only to find out it’s booked. You can book your guided tour here.
Best time of year to visit: Almost every season. Seriously! I visited in August and never struggled for a parking spot. It’s very unvisited, which makes it quite the hidden gem. However, if you really want to take a guided tour, you need to visit May-October as they are not offered in the winter and spring months.
Where to stay: Cortez/Mesa Verde KOA Journey in Cortez, CO.
Have you visited any of these Colorado national parks? Which one is on your list?
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