Winterlike wonder of White Sands National Park

NEW MEXICO | WHITE SANDS

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

No Mirage

Newest national park is a winterlike wonderland

By Diana Lambdin Meyer

MERICA’S NEWEST NATIONAL PARK spreads

Aacross the New Mexico landscape like a snowy playground. Families sled down brilliant white hillsides, laughing and screaming, then climb back up to do it all over again.

But it’s not snow. This is White Sands National Park (nps.gov/whsa), 275 square miles of the world’s largest dune field of gypsum sand , a mineral found in drywall and plaster of paris. The Permian Sea, rich in calcium and sulfate, covered this region nearly 250 million years ago. When it retreated, the calcium and sulfate created layers of gypsum, which have since been crafted by the wind into hills and dunes of sand.

One 8-mile road loops through the dreamscape of White Sands, which had its status changed from national monument to national park last December. There are five short hiking trails totaling about 9 miles , but otherwise, people are allowed to climb and play and explore wherever. For a rare warm-weather treat, bring your snow saucer — or purchase one, subject to availability, at the visitors center.

Located 52 miles north of Las Cruces, White Sands is near the U.S. Army’s missile testing range of the same name. It’s a sparsely populated area of New Mexico, and the park occasionally closes for several hours while the military conducts tests . That’s one reason you should call the park or visit the website before you visit.

You also want to ask about the weather — specifically the wind. The park contains 4.5 billion tons of gypsum sand, and even the slightest wind can create an unpleasant experience, so it will occasionally close if it’s very gusty.

DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION