They hunted by ambushing animals like deer, camels, ground sloths, bison, and young mammoths. [49] A rock formation called the Twin Buttes is located to the south on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Five marked trails totaling 9 miles (14 km) allow visitors to explore the dunes on foot. Some ground sloth prints appear bipedal, possibly caused by the large hind feet covering the tracks of the smaller front feet. He lobbied to have the dunes declared a national park but was advised by Senator Bronson M. Cutting, who had influence with President Herbert Hoover, that national monument status would be much easier to obtain. [71], Ground sloths are the ancient relatives of modern tree sloths, armadillos, and anteaters. The battleground, located on White Sands Missile Range, is the closest archaeological evidence of the Apache Wars (1849 to 1924). The paleo-humans who lived in the Tularosa Basin left behind no other evidence of their passage. In 1897, the Lucero brothers, Jose, Felipe, and Estevan, began ranching on the south shore of the lake that would eventually bear their name. [62], More than 800 animal species inhabit the park, many of them nocturnal. Birds are usually observed in vegetated areas of the park away from the heart of the dunefield, mainly near the visitor center and the edges of the dunefield, as well as Lake Lucero though it is open to the public only once each month by guided tour. [41] The Senate passed the act on December 16 and President Donald Trump signed the bill on December 20. History []. [39][40], On December 11, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which includes legislation redesignating White Sands National Monument as White Sands National Park. Some fossil evidence suggests that they may have hunted in packs. [14], Hispanic populations throughout the Spanish colonial and Mexican periods were allowed to gather salt from the salinas, which were considered public property. They fiercely defended the rights to their homeland against the encroachment of colonial settlers. [13] Spanish colonists had established the salt trails in 1647, to connect the salt deposits with the Camino Real in El Paso del Norte (present-day Ciudad Juárez) and silver mines in Durango, Mexico. The main road into and out of the points of interest is called the Dunes Drive — it’s only about 16 miles roundtrip to drive the whole road to and from the Visitor Center. Many of these white species are endemic to the park. Several animal species feature a white or off-white coloration. It is known for its rare white gypsum sand dunes. Desert grasses have developed a tolerance for the highly alkaline soil. They had large tusks and ridged teeth for eating plants like modern elephants. One set of footprints shows the stalking of sloths. James Magoffin held a title to the salt flats north of Lake Lucero but had been unsuccessful in collecting fees for salt gathering. Dunes Drive from the White Sands is a looped road reaching the dune field. It was designated as White Sands National Monument in 1933, and on December 20, 2019, it was redesignated as a National Park. It’s also the only national park that may be closed due to missile testing! Many visitors arrive during the warmer months from March through August, but sledders and photographers can be seen throughout the dunes year round. [25], Between 1969 and 1977, 95 oryx were released on the missile range and adjacent areas of the Tularosa Basin by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish for hunting purposes. [58], Toward the western side of the dunefield, the dunes are more than 50 ft (15 m) tall, and they become progressively smaller toward the eastern edge, until they come to an abrupt stop at the eastern boundary. Sunset strolls are presented every evening of the year, while Lake Lucero hikes are offered once a month, from November to April,[75] and full moon guided hikes from April to October, on the night before the full moon. [15]:6, Hispanic families started farming communities at Tularosa in 1861 and La Luz in 1863. The trails include the Dune Life Nature Trail, Interdune Boardwalk and are dotted with exhibits on wildlife. You Can Go Sledding. [61], The cane cholla and other cacti, as well as desert succulents like the soaptree yucca, are able to store water through the hot summers and dry winters, blooming in the spring. Shortly afterward, the National Park Service took over ownership of the Lucero family properties with their appropriation of Lake Lucero and Alkali Flat. Park managers and friends of the park work toward public access and maintenance of the solitude and silence of the dunes. [43] Additional feature-length films with location shooting in the park include King Solomon's Mines (1950), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), White Sands (1992), Transformers (2007),[38]:4 Transformers 2 (2009), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), Year One (2009), and The Book of Eli (2010). [14], The first US Army exploration of south-central New Mexico was led by a party of topographical engineering officers in 1849. Snow may occur from November through March, with an average accumulation of 1 inch (25 mm) or less. The oryx, having no natural predators, entered the park and competed with native species for forage. American Indians used the hoary rosemary mint for seasoning foods, and the purple sand verbena as a mild sedative. [35], In May 2018, U.S. During the last ice age, a 1,600-square-mile (4,144 km2) body of water named Lake Otero covered much of the basin. [71], Saber-toothed cats, or tigers, are known for their oversized canine teeth, which could reach seven to ten inches (17–20 cm) in length. White Sands New Mexicomusic credit Cedar Skies About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features © … Lighter colored animals blend in with their white surroundings better than darker animals, which helps them to avoid predation, allowing them more time to reproduce. [36] Heinrich consulted with monument officials, the National Park Service, White Sands Missile Range, the U.S. Army, and Holloman Air Force Base before the bill was introduced in Congress. Groundwater that flows out of the Tularosa Basin flows south into the Hueco Basin. The fossil footprints of ground sloths have also been found in the park. White Sands is one of 423 National Parks in the U.S. The National Park Service, concerned about the negative effects on native plants and animals within the park, erected a 67-mile (108 km) long boundary fence in 1996 to prevent oryx from entering. Sections of this page. [56], White Sands contains various forms of dunes. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Senators, Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, wrote letters of support of the application. The National Parks Association and the Indian Rights Association campaigned against Fall's bill, mainly because of the appropriation of Indian reservation land and that it might establish a precedent of industrial usage within parks. Fourteen species are listed as common meaning they may be seen daily but not in large numbers, while the others are seen only a few times each month, each year, or every few years. [15]:33[19] The dedication and grand opening was on April 29, 1934. The dunefield is much cooler and wetter than the surrounding hot, dry desert soils based on satellites images. [53], The average annual precipitation is 9 inches (230 mm) with the wettest month being August at 1.77 inches (45 mm). 5. In 2017, over 600,000 people visited White Sands National Park and the numbers continue to increase. White Sands National Park is an American national park located in the state of New Mexico and completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range. Stephen Mather, the director of the National Park Service, criticized the proposal as having "disjointed boundaries, lack of spectacular scenery, and questionable usage." Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico", "H.R.2500 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020", "Heinrich, Torres Small Introduce White Sands National Park Establishment Act – U.S. [9], The Archaic people improved upon the hand thrown spear used by Paleo-Indians with the invention of the atlatl. [64], Invertebrates form the largest group with more than 600 species, including varied species of spiders, wasps, beetles and moths. White Sands National Park is located within the range. 31 – Dec. 31) – White Sands Natl Mon, New Mexico", "Period of Record General Climate Summary – White Sands Natl Mon, New Mexico", "White Sands National Park – Plant Survival Strategies", "White Sands National Park – Invertebrates", "Table 1: Description of the species reported to have lighter-colored populations inside than outside the gypsum dune field at White Sands National Monument", "Native Plants of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert", "White Sands National Park – White Species", "Chihuahuan Desert Network. The lowest recorded temperature is −25 °F (−32 °C), set on January 11, 1962. [15]:145 Overflights from Holloman disturbed the tranquility of the area. [19], Total park acreage is 148,588 acres (232.2 sq mi; 601.3 km2) which includes a net 4,855 acres (7.6 sq mi; 19.6 km2) added in 2019 when the national park designation modified the boundaries between the park and the missile range. You’re basically just surrounded by white hills of shifting sand, … It was also covered in grasslands and streams and was home to animals like dire wolves, mammoths, and ancient camels. • Those white sand dunes, all 275 square miles of them, are made of pure gypsum crystals. [55] [2] The park is situated in the Tularosa Basin with elevations ranging from 3,887 feet (1,185 m) at Lake Lucero, to 4,116 feet (1,255 m) at a former military site called NE 30. Have a Picnic. [7], Lake Lucero is a dry lakebed in the southwest corner of the park, at one of the lowest points in the basin. 16 miles from the Space Museum, Alameda Park Zoo, and Toy Train Depot in Alamogordo. Archaic people started living in small villages throughout the year to tend their fields. About 4.5 billion short tons (4.1 billion metric tons) of gypsum sand fill the dunefield,[3] which formed about 7,000–10,000 years ago. A similar process continues to produce gypsum sand today.[7]. The Mormon tea plant contains traces of ephedrine, which is a stimulant and decongestant effective in countering symptoms of the common cold. The sand making up these terrific dunes is actually a granulated form of the mineral gypsum. The megafauna disappeared from the basin leaving behind fossil footprints. White Sands National Park sits 4,000 feet above sea-level in the Chihuahuan Desert. White Sands National Park is located in the very south of the square-shaped state of New Mexico. Though stone flakes from toolmaking, arrowheads, and spear points are found in surrounding areas, they are the artifacts of humans who lived after the Ice Age. The trapped water sank into the ground or formed shallow pools that subsequently dried out, leaving the gypsum on the surface in a crystalline form called selenite. Skip to park navigation. The lakebed is nearly devoid of a single artifact from before the Spanish exploration in the 1500s. [71], Columbian mammoths stood up to 14 feet (over four meters) tall at the shoulder and weighed 18,000–22,000 pounds (8,000–10,000 kilograms). The leaf fibers were used for the fabrication of rope, matting, sandals, baskets, and coarse cloth. Skip to main content. White Sands National Park in southwestern New Mexico was upgraded to a national park in 2019, but this otherworldly landscape dates back to the Ice Age. [27] The possession of alcohol or alcohol containers is banned throughout the park from February 1 to May 31. Senator Martin Heinrich (Democrat, New Mexico) introduced a bill to designate White Sands a national park. This gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind on Earth, with a depth of about 30 feet (9.1 m), dunes as tall as 60 feet (18 m), and about 4.5 billi… In response to Magoffin's use of extreme force during the Magoffin Salt War, the courts dissolved his property claim to the salt flats and established a precedent for free public access to salt deposits. [66], Most mammals of the Tularosa Basin have adapted to the hot summers by staying in their dens until evening. Rain and snowmelt from the surrounding mountains and upwelling from deep groundwater within the basin periodically fill Lake Lucero with water containing dissolved gypsum. The bill was opposed, however, by Otero County commissioners, who stated that the main argument in favor of national park status was the potential for increased visitation, while also noting that the monument is already the most-visited NPS site in the state. The growing season generally lasts less than six months, from April 27 to October 19 on average. The first evidence of agriculture is found in the Archaic period. White Sands is a small park. Your first stop at White Sands National Park will more than likely … The proposed areas included a 2,000-acre (3.1 sq mi; 8.1 km2) scenic portion of the Mescalero Indian reservation, 640 acres (1.0 sq mi; 2.6 km2) of the dunefield, 640 acres of a volcanic area to the north named Carrizozo Malpais, and the shoreline of the Elephant Butte Reservoir to the west, beyond the San Andres Mountains. These giant herbivores probably didn't have much hair, unlike the woolly mammoths that evolved in colder regions. [15]:28–32[18]:77–89, On January 18, 1933, President Hoover designated White Sands National Monument, acting under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Dome dunes are found along the southwest margins of the field, transverse and barchan dunes in the center of the field, and parabolic dunes along the northern, southern, and northeastern margins. The commissioners were also concerned that "the change in status will affect filmmaking here either from higher fees or increased regulation." They passed west of the San Andres Mountains and Organ Mountains. [15]:72[18]:117, The visitor center and a nearby comfort station, three ranger residences, as well as three maintenance buildings were constructed of adobe bricks as a Works Progress Administration project starting in 1936 and completed in 1938. Humans may experience up to four hours of intense pain, while the equivalent of twelve ant stings is capable of killing a 4.4 lb (2 kg) rat. I recommend visiting from September through May when daytime temperatures average between 60 – 80 degrees F (16 – 27 C) July through September are the wettest (and hottest) months at White Sands. At least 45 species are endemic, living only in this park, with 40 of them being moth species. [59] The Maricopa harvester ant inhabits much of the Southwestern United States and is believed to have the most toxic insect venom in the world. The park covers 145,762 acres (227.8 sq mi; 589.9 km ) in the Tularosa Basin, including the southern 41% of a 275 sq mi (710 km ) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsumcrystals. White Sands National Park is temporarily closed as of Sunday, March 22, 2020. At each of these old lakeshore terraces, the dune movement and type of dunes changes greatly. Since gypsum is water-soluble, the sand that composes the dunes may dissolve and cement together after rain, forming a layer of sand that is more solid, which increases the wind resistance of the dunes. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico", "History of Commercial Filming at White Sands", https://hypebae.com/2020/9/lady-gaga-911-music-video-song-watch-listen-stream-release, "Wye Oak explore White Sands in their music video for "The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/06/Planet-Yoga, "Park Unigrid Map – White Sands National Park", "White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico, United States", "Spring 'Freeze' Probabilities (Jan 1 – Jul 31) – White Sands Natl Mon, New Mexico", "Fall 'Freeze' Probabilities (Jul. When I was there it was a national monument but now I get to retroactively cross off a new park in my list! [76] The park participates in the Junior Ranger Program, with various age-group-specific activities. June 18, 2015. [38]:5 The redesignation bill was re-introduced on March 27, 2019. When I visited this park in 2009 it was White Sands National Monument. The roots were chopped and boiled to produce soap to wash hair, blankets, and rugs. We have many events planned, ... See more of White Sands National Park on Facebook. The Harlan's ground sloth dwarfed modern relatives, standing 10 feet (three meters) tall when upright and weighing over a ton (about 2,200–2,400 pounds or 1000–1090 kilograms). This gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind on Earth,[6] with a depth of about 30 feet (9.1 m), dunes as tall as 60 feet (18 m), and about 4.5 billion short tons (4.1 billion metric tons) of gypsum sand. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. The Jornada Mogollon inhabited the basin until about 1350 CE when they moved away, leaving behind puddled adobe structures and pottery sherds. [62], Other plants include skunkbush sumac, Rio Grande cottonwood (Populus deltoides wislizeni), hoary rosemary mint, purple sand verbena (Abronia angustifolia), Mormon tea (also known as longleaf jointfir), and claret cup cactus whose fruit is among the sweetest of any Eddy’s Soda Prospect, developed by the same Eddy brothers that had founded the El Paso and Northeastern Railway and the town of Alamogordo, was a mineral recovery operation for glauberite salt mining along the southern shore of Lake Lucero. or. As the climate warmed, rain and snowmelt dissolved gypsum from the surrounding mountains and carried it into the basin. White Sands National Park was originally designated White Sands National Monument on January 18, 1933 by President Herbert Hoover; it was redesignated as a national park by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019. desert plant. White Sands National Monument is in the U.S. state is in the northern Chihuahua Desert in the New Mexico. White Sands National Park preserves more than half of this gypsum dunefield, its shallow water supply and the unique plants and animals that live here. [71], During the Pleistocene, large cats lived throughout the world, including lions in North America. By 1940, Felipe consolidated the family's ranches into a 20,000-acre (31 sq mi; 81 km2) property. [77], Both the park and U.S. Route 70 between Las Cruces and Alamogordo are subject to closure for safety reasons when tests are conducted at White Sands Missile Range which completely surrounds the park. [7] When filled, the lake covers about 10 square miles (26 km2) at a depth of 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m). [29] The state's two U.S. Such tracks have sometimes been mistaken for the tracks of a giant human. They used the skunkbush sumac's berries to make a tart drink, while the flexible stems were used for basketry and binding. [53], During the Permian Period, shallow seas covered the area that today forms White Sands National Park. Dunes Drive may be closed for periods of up to three hours during missile tests. The ancient western camel probably resembled modern, one-humped dromedary camels, but with longer legs, standing up to seven feet (over two meters) tall at the shoulder. [3] Ranger-guided orientation and nature walks occur at various times and months throughout the year. Some species that inhabit the dunes have gradually changed color through centuries of evolution, becoming substantially lighter than their cousins elsewhere. The fragile tracks are uncovered by the wind, then rapidly erode away, with many tracks disappearing after only two years. Toward the western edge, the sand grains become larger and have all different shapes, while at the eastern edge they are all very small and round. National Park Service LogoNational Park … Log In. 40 miles from White Sands National Monument. By 1904, over 114 people made mineral claims to more than 10,400 acres (16.3 sq mi; 42 km2) of Lake Lucero; however, very few of the claims were developed. Safety should be your top concern when visiting White Sands. [63], Before the Pleistocene epoch ended about 12,000 years ago, the land within the Tularosa Basin featured large lakes, streams, and grasslands. Sign Up. For a map of the park, click here. Sunset Strolls – 7:00 pm May 9th—August 9. The gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind on Earth. 90 miles from El Paso and the Mexican border. [6] The park protects 115 sq mi (300 km2) of the 275 sq mi (710 km2) dunefield, about 41%, while the remaining 160 sq mi (410 km2) are located to the north within White Sands Missile Range. The area that was once covered under a prehistoric sea is now arid desert and the bleached sand is made up of particles of gypsum that is 30 feet deep and rises up in 60-foot dunes. The cholla's fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, while its flower buds were used as a diuretic, and a hair tonic was made from its roots. Few National Park Service units have names that are so very descriptive as White Sands National Park. [71], White Sands National Park is the most visited NPS site in New Mexico, with about 600,000 visitors each year. Large cattle drives pushed into the basin, and ranching became the dominant economy for the next sixty years. [60] At least 45 species are endemic, living only in this park, with 40 of them being moth species, along with the Apache pocket mouse (Perognathus flavescens Apachii), White Sands wood rat (Neotoma micropus leucophaea), bleached earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata ruthveni), and two camel crickets. [18]:149 Flight training missions continue over the dunefield,[24] and the park closes temporarily for several hours during missile tests in the adjacent range and cooperative use area on the west side of the park. The cooler months are November through March when the average low temperature is below 32 °F (0 °C) and the daily mean temperature is in the range 39–51 °F (4–11 °C), with December and January being the coldest months. About four feet (1.2 m) tall at the shoulder and weighing over 500 pounds (230 kg), American lions had long, slender legs for chasing down prey. It glistens sparkling white, especially in the bright New Mexico sunlight. White Sands became a national monument on January 18, 1933 by order of President Herbert Hoover. The nearest large city with an international airport is El Paso, Texas. [54] Join us July 20 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Scientists have discovered what appear to be old lakeshores beneath the dunes using laser scanning technology. The young flower stalks are rich in vitamin C, while the flower pods can be boiled or roasted. The grassland died and the basin became increasingly arid, slowly changing into desert scrubland. It is filled with a wide ocean of beautiful white sands stretching across over 200 miles of desert. Several species of animals have developed very specialized means of survival in this harsh environment, enabling them to thrive in a place with very little surface water and highly mineralized groundwater. [58], More than 600 invertebrates,[59] 300 plants, 250 birds, 50 mammals, 30 reptiles, seven amphibians, and one fish species inhabit White Sands National Park. This natural wonder of the world is the largest gypsum dunefield on the planet and was designated as a national monument in 1933 via presidential proclamation. It’s actually just an hour from the Texas border. Columbian mammoths inhabited a range from Canada to Nicaragua and Honduras. Cactus wrens have a long white streak over their eyes, a cluster of black spots on their breast, and make a somewhat ratchety call. The plan failed as it included a game hunting preserve that conflicted with the idea of preservation held by the Department of the Interior. [28], White Sands was placed on a tentative list of potential World Heritage Sites on January 22, 2008. Stop at the Visitor Centre. Most of the crystal formation occurs when large floods concentrate the mineralized water every ten to fourteen years. When gypsum is heated to 300 °F (149 °C) it becomes a plaster that hardens when moisture is added and subsequently evaporates. Lake Otero was one of the largest lakes in the southwest, covering 1,600 square miles (4,144 km2), which is an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. That field of gypsum is the largest of its kind on Earth and the National Park only covers the southern tip of the entire white field. Sunset strolls are a great way to end your day. White Sands National Park with 275 square miles of glistening white gypsum in the Chihuahuan Desert is the largest gypsum dune field in the world. The camels were opportunistic herbivores, grazing over large ranges, and leaving distinctive footprints. 2019. Other arachnid species include sand scorpion (Paruroctonus utahensis), and wind scorpion. White Sands is massive, occupying 275-square miles of the Tularosa Basin which stretches up into the middle of the state. It is the most visited NPS site in New Mexico, with about 600,000 visitors each year. These giant herbivores had a slow, waddling walk and left kidney-bean shaped footprints, created as their back feet rotated inwards while walking. The gypsum was left behind by shallow seas that covered the area during the Permian Period, a geologic period which started about 298 million years ago and ran for 47 million years. As the large ice sheet that capped the North American continent receded, Lake Otero began to evaporate, leaving behind Alkali Flat and Lake Lucero. 36.4k Posts - See Instagram photos and videos taken at ‘White Sands National Park’ The range was originally established as the White Sands Proving Ground on 9 July 1945. July Events at White Sands National Monument. Within 50 miles of 8 magnificent golf courses. White Sands requires permits and reservations for some activities such as commercial filming, early entry, stay late, backcountry camping... Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Skip to footer. When it dried out, a large flat area of selenite crystals remained, which is named the Alkali Flat. Accessibility Help. Do you want to become a Junior Ranger? Calendar - White Sands National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Skip to global NPS navigation. The remnants of the Lucero family ranch include the stock pens, watering trough, a water well, and a fallen windmill which visitors can see on a ranger-led tour to Lake Lucero once each month, in the cooler months of the year. When Spaniards did enter the basin, they traveled along established trails to the salt pan north of Alkali Flat. They build their nests in cacti and feed by hopping under shrubs hunting insects, or picking insects off the radiator grills of parked cars. A Cloudcroft Story. In fact, we headed there on our El Paso to Phoenix road trip. Transitioning from a national monument to a national park, White Sands National Park protects the largest gypsum dune field in the world. Archaic peoples would tend to wild plants so they would produce in a more reliable manner and in larger quantities than they did naturally. Hearth mounds are found within the dunes, which are the remains of prehistoric fires containing charcoal and ash. [3], The park's primary feature is the field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The sumac's branches contain tannin, which is useful in producing dyes, and its leaves were used as an astringent to treat stings, bites, rashes, and sunburn. The cooperative use area includes most of the Alkali Flat region in the park's northwestern quadrant, as well as Lake Lucero and dome dunes in the southwestern quadrant. Carnivorans include coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and kit foxes. [3], The plants at White Sands National Park stabilize the leading edges of the dunes, providing both food and shelter for wildlife. The remaining months have an average of two or three days with precipitation.

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