White Sands National Park - April 7

 White Sands National Park may not have the tallest sand dunes in the states (that honor belongs to Great Sand Dunes Nat'l in Colorado), but it does boast the largest deposit of gypsum sand dunes in the world.  These gypsum dunes were much more enjoyable than any sand I've played in before:  the extremely arid climate here in southern New Mexico and the lack of salt in this sand makes for a powdery fine brilliantly white and delicious sand which doesn't smell nor leave one feeling gritty and nasty.  This is a rather small park which is easily seen and enjoyed in half a day, but there were droves of people here on this Good Friday to play in the warm sunshine, to picnic, sand sled, and just enjoy the delightful weather.  









We visited each site available, pulled off the road at every pullout, followed along with an audio guide on the drive along the one road in and out of the park, and did a couple of hikes into the dunes.  As well, we enjoyed the small visitors center, gift shop, and requisite national park dated movie.  









Finally out of sites to visit, we left the park in the late afternoon and drove through the not-so-engaging town of Alamogordo, NM and there imbibed in a Friday night date:  dinner at Burger King followed by a movie, His Only Son.  With still a bit of day left, we enjoyed our first campfire of the year at the stellar Oliver Lee State Park where we camped for a couple of nights tucked up against the Sacramento Mountains on the upslope of the vast Tularosa Basin.  It is into this basin that all the water from the Sacramento Mtns to the east and the San Andreas Mountains to the west drain.  When the water evaporates, it leaves behind dissolved gypsum which the wind then blows into ever shifting sand dunes. 










Has been a delightful day to explore these brilliant white powder fine dunes, something we've not experienced before.  Off tomorrow westward bound back into Arizona and The Gila Valley. 






            

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