White Sands National Monument - Plan Your Visit

Special Note: Due to missile testing on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, it is occasionally necessary, for visitor safety, to close the Dunes Drive for periods of up to two hours. U.S. Highway 70/82 between Alamogordo and Las Cruces is also closed during times of missile testing. Visitors on a tight schedule are encouraged to call the day prior to arrival for information on closures.

Local Partners & Information Resources

Cloudcroft

Ruidoso

Alamogordo

Area Campgrounds

Getting There

Plane
El Paso International Airport

Car
The visitor center is located on U.S. Highway 70/82, 15 miles (24.15km) southwest of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Travelers from Carlsbad Caverns to southern Arizona can follow U.S. 82 through the scenic Sacramento Mountains to White Sands National Monument.

Public Transportation
To Park: No public transportation serves the park. Cars may be rented in Alamogordo, Las Cruces, and El Paso.

Getting Around

An eight-mile scenic drive leads from the Visitor Center into the heart of the dunes. Wayside exhibits at pullouts along the drive provide information about the natural history of the park.