White Sands National Monument is a wonderland of dunes. First you encounter lower dunes with grass and other vegetation. Dunes rise higher and higher as you drive your car to the center of the park. Soon you feel you are in the Sahara Desert in North Africa and not just New Mexico one hour outside Las Cruces in the middle of the White Sands Missile Range. Our favorite place is the boardwalk area where you can examine the various flora and fauna that exist among the gypsum dunes and where you can also run into snakes.
What is outstanding and unexpected is how pet-friendly the park is. You can take your dog anywhere, on any trail or path, at any time in this largest of all gypsum dune fields in the world which is visible at night from satellites. The only place you can't take Fido is inside the Visitor's Center itself. White Sands is a great place for fun in the sun. Lots of kids --- and dogs, too! --- like to go sliding down the sides of the dunes. They sell special plastic "sleds" for this purpose.
The Visitor's Center is very well-equipped because it's so isolated from everything except Alamogordo about 13 miles down the road. You can view an introductory film about the monument. You can buy books, DVD's, and postcards. There is also a separate shop for souvenirs that include everything from mugs to more postcards to lamps and jewelry and T-shirts. To one side is a deli that sells sandwiches, ice cream, cookies, soup, potato chips, and iced cold drinks. Right outside is a picnic area complete with wastebaskets and lots of parking. You can have a really good time here. In the summer it's open very late into the evening.
We visited here on our way back from Santa Fe in September of 2011.