By Staff Writer: Jamiliere Luranc Sweeney
Photo Credit: Jamiliere Luranc Sweeney
White Sands National Park, located in the Tularosa Basin about 220 miles from Portales, protects the world’s largest gypsum dune field. The park covers 275 square miles of the New Mexican desert and is made up of bright white wave-like sand dunes. The park offers many recreational activities including hiking, biking, and dune sledding. One of the most beautiful hikes in White Sands National Park is the Alkali Flat Trail. Offering spectacular, unobstructed views of the dunes, this trail is worth the journey. At five miles round trip, it is the perfect length for a day hike, however, hiking in White Sands is unlike anything you’re probably accustomed to. Trails in the park do not follow a defined path, rather, trail markers are placed throughout the dune fields and hikers make their way from one to the next.
Although this trail is popular, the route can be challenging to follow as markers can be difficult to spot. Additionally, the trail has no shade, which allows for spectacular views, but also makes this trail strenuous in the heat of the day. If you plan to do this trail, keep in mind that walking on dunes is physically demanding and will likely take longer to complete than hiking on a paved path. Although this trek has its challenges, its beauty is unforgettable. If a visit to White Sands National Park is in your future, make sure to check out the Alkali Flats trail.