The White Sands National Monument was a must-see for me while in New Mexico. Thanks to Instagram, it quickly joined my bucket list (along with Iceland!).

The itinerary I created consisted of a semi-tight schedule of things I wanted to do and see from Albuquerque (including the Breaking Bad tour - more to come!) to the White Sands, to the Carlsbad Caverns and up to Santa Fe. 

Making the 3-4 hour drive from Albuquerque to the White Sands, while not terribly far, was still a little tiring after a day of exploring ABQ, and slightly overwhelming if you only have the one evening to spend at the White Sands. This is also true if you're counting on nature to provide you with the experience you dream of. As a photographer, you envision things in your head that may not happen in real life. 

As we headed into Alamagordo, I spotted the rain clouds, and panicked thinking that the White Sands would be closed. Then it started to pour, and I concluded to myself that it would most definitely be closed. Luckily, it had stopped raining by the time we arrived, and it was still open. 

That said, I thought I would share my top 5 tips. *Please note that my tips are based on having only approximately 1-3 hours of time to visit the White Sands.*

1. Visitor Center:

If you're tight for time, I wouldn't recommend stopping at the Visitor Center before entering the White Sands, unless you have to use the bathroom, then it's your only stop. Also, if you don't have water, this is a good place to fill up, as there is NO water on the dunes. I had read that you must sign a guest book before entering the White Sands, so that they know who is accounted for, however, this was not true on the day/time (6pm) we visited. I also thought that tickets would have to be purchased at the Visitor Center, however this is incorrect. Tickets are purchased about a mile drive after the Visitor Center, at the gate. $5 for adults.

Once inside the White Sands, it's a few minutes drive to the "sunset stroll" stop (the photos below with vegetation in them are from the sunset stroll). I would suggest that you keep driving around to the top of the loop to the Alkali Flat Trail, where you get cleaner views of just white sands (the photos you see below without vegetation are from the Alkali Flat Trail). 

Here's a map for a better understanding of the various stops. 

2. Sunset Stroll, 7pm (lasts 45 minutes), with a ranger:

If you only have 1-3 hours to spend at the White Sands and you've come specifically to see the clear white sands under a setting sun, please avoid the sunset stroll. Contrary to the name and description on the White Sands website, the "sunset stroll" highlighted everything but the sunset. While you do of course, see the sunset during the stroll, you are really only gazing at it longingly as it sets, while strolling through vegetation, yucca plants, learning about fossils, critters and the like. My understanding of "sunset stroll" was that it meant going to an epic,  ranger-knowing, vantage point with a clear and vast view of the white sands (free of vegetation) and the sunset. They should really call this the "vegetation stroll". This stroll is not wheelchair accessible. 

3. Dune sledding:

Depending on where you are staying, the hotel/motel/inn/lodge may provide FREE sleds for White Sands dune sledding, so be sure to check with your lodging before you arrive at the White Sands. Otherwise you will have to pay for the sleds at the Visitor Center and I read somewhere that it costs $20! I didn't try sledding, but my husband did, and thought it was fun, although the gypsum sand was still quite damp from the rain. I imagine it would be a smoother ride on a dryer day.

4. Safety:

While we were either in a group (sunset stroll) or close enough to other visitors without wandering too far, I had read that it's quite easy to get off track, and this is especially true if you're there ALL day, in the sweltering heat, getting dehydrated. Bring LOTS OF WATER (and food), and don't go off the posted markers/track. I read some truly tragic stories about this, so consider safety first and read all the safety tips on the website. It started to lightning storm while we were leaving (park closes at 9pm), and we still saw people dune sledding with their kids while this was happening. Also, if you haven't already acclimated to the altitude of New Mexico, then this is another thing to be aware of, and take proper precautions. Altitude sickness can make you feel dehydrated, give you headaches and a loss of appetite, so pay attention to your body.

5. Plan more time:

I would say, all in all, you would need more time to spend at the White Sands. It's quite magnificent, and if you can spare more than 1-3 hours, or come back for a visit the next day, you could really enjoy yourself. I wouldn't mind seeing the White Sands at sunrise or a different time of day, just to get a different view of it, but for now, I'm satisfied and it's crossed off my bucket list.

If you have any tips to share, join the conversation over on my Instagram, here.