June 18, 2015. 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. [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. [66], Most mammals of the Tularosa Basin have adapted to the hot summers by staying in their dens until evening. The commissioners only supported boundary adjustments and additional infrastructure, such as campgrounds and improved road access. Some ground sloth prints appear bipedal, possibly caused by the large hind feet covering the tracks of the smaller front feet. A Cloudcroft Story. White Sands is massive, occupying 275-square miles of the Tularosa Basin which stretches up into the middle of the state. A lieutenant was dispatched east across the basin with a scouting party to map a potential military wagon route to the Sierra Blanca. [62], More than 800 animal species inhabit the park, many of them nocturnal. All activity, including horseback riding, backcountry camping, hiking, sledding, and driving on Dunes Drive is prohibited during all missile tests that require road closure. [7], The ground in the Alkali Flat and along Lake Lucero's shore is also covered with selenite crystals that measure up to 3 ft (0.9 m) long. These giant herbivores had a slow, waddling walk and left kidney-bean shaped footprints, created as their back feet rotated inwards while walking. They used the skunkbush sumac's berries to make a tart drink, while the flexible stems were used for basketry and binding. The pupfish has dark eyes, silver scales, and grows from 1.75–2.5 inches (44–64 mm) in length. The operation involved drilling long shafts into the dunes and extracting gypsum to cook into plaster at night. They hunted by ambushing animals like deer, camels, ground sloths, bison, and young mammoths. It’s actually just an hour from the Texas border. White Sands National Park sits 4,000 feet above sea-level in the Chihuahuan Desert. Grass seeds produce a protein-rich kernel that dries well and fills many rodents’ underground granaries. A White Sands day trip is a perfect jaunt down the mountain. Insect species include white-lined sphinx moth, yucca moth, bleached skimmer dragonfly, tarantula hawk wasp, minor ground mantis, toothpick grasshopper, walking stick, Maricopa harvester ant, and darkling beetle. [15]:6, In the 1880s, a brief period of heavy rainfall supported the return of lush grasslands in the Tularosa Basin which attracted the attention of goat, sheep, and cattle grazers, predominately from Texas. The grassland died and the basin became increasingly arid, slowly changing into desert scrubland. Strips of the cottonwood's branches and bark were woven into baskets. [53], During the Permian Period, shallow seas covered the area that today forms White Sands National Park. [25], White Sands National Monument Historic District, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, N.M. State Register of Cultural Properties, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, List of national parks of the United States, National Register of Historic Places listings in Otero County, New Mexico, "White Sands in United States of America", "S.1790 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020", "Ghost Fossils at Park Reveal Life and Death Story from the Ice Age", "NRHP Inventory Nomination Form: White Sands National Monument Historic District", "White Sands National Monument – Military History", "White Sands National Monument – Park Closures", "White Sands National Monument – African Oryx", "Alcohol Regulations: Why is alcohol banned in the monument during these times? [29] The state's two U.S. Look here for the latest information. The lakebed is nearly devoid of a single artifact from before the Spanish exploration in the 1500s. In 1897, the Lucero brothers, Jose, Felipe, and Estevan, began ranching on the south shore of the lake that would eventually bear their name. [28], White Sands was placed on a tentative list of potential World Heritage Sites on January 22, 2008. [15]:6, Hispanic families started farming communities at Tularosa in 1861 and La Luz in 1863. White Sands More Than Just Dunes. They used stone from the mountains to create projectile points, known as Folsom and Plano points, and attached them to spears for hunting mammoths, camels, ground sloths, and bison. 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. During the 2010s, footprints of a dire wolf were discovered beside ancient seeds dated to more than 18,000 years ago. See more of White Sands National Park on Facebook. Press alt + / to open this menu. 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. The popularity of this park has increased dramatically in the past few years. Skip to footer. [49] A rock formation called the Twin Buttes is located to the south on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It is known for its rare white gypsum sand dunes. [63] Spider species include Apache jumping spider, burrowing wolf spider, funnel-web spider (Agelenopsis longistylus), tarantula, and western black widow spider. Calendar - White Sands National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Skip to global NPS navigation. [15]:172 Thousands of oryx reside on the missile range presently, though annual hunts have occurred since 1974 to help control and stabilize the population. 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. [26], Increasingly problematic alcohol abuse by students on spring break in the 1990s led to a ban on the consumption of alcohol. Afternoon temperatures in June and July average around 97 °F (36 °C). The area was not explored by Europeans until the middle of the 19th century. The plaster cements these hearths in place, preserving them for thousands of years. Sunset strolls are a great way to end your day. [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. They fiercely defended the rights to their homeland against the encroachment of colonial settlers. ", "Secretary Kempthorne Selects New U.S. World Heritage Tentative List", "Otero County, NM Code: Chapter 150 Land Development: Article V: World Heritage Sites: Ordinance No. Transitioning from a national monument to a national park, White Sands National Park protects the largest gypsum dune field in the world. 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… Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. When gypsum is heated to 300 °F (149 °C) it becomes a plaster that hardens when moisture is added and subsequently evaporates. Sections of this page. You Can Go Sledding. Enjoy a leisurely one-hour ranger-guided walk through sand dunes and learn about the geology, plants, and animals of this unique area. 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. 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. Skip to park navigation. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The bill included four geographically separate and diverse areas, to be administered as one national park. Create New Account. It’s reeallly easy to get lost. White Sands is a place of beauty and full of amazing views. Standing around 3 feet (one meter) tall and weighing up to 750 pounds (340 kg), saber-toothed cats had a bulky, muscular build that allowed them to subdue large prey, like sloths, bison, and young mammoths. Many visitors arrive during the warmer months from March through August, but sledders and photographers can be seen throughout the dunes year round. Forgot account? The trails include the Dune Life Nature Trail, Interdune Boardwalk and are dotted with exhibits on wildlife. White Sands National Park is located within the range. 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. 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. [61], Native Americans used many parts of the soaptree yucca. Evidence of their prehistoric presence dates back to about 200 CE. The pallid bat eats insects in the air like other bats but locates most of its food on the ground while walking around. 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. Stop at the Visitor Centre. [16], At the turn of the twentieth century, the discovery of oil, coal, silver, gold, and other precious mineral deposits inspired many settlers to cover the Tularosa Basin in mining claims. 2019. [15]:17[18]:52–53, From 1912 to 1922, Albert B. The growing season generally lasts less than six months, from April 27 to October 19 on average. Fall propose l'idea di un parco nazionale tutto l'an… In 2017, over 600,000 people visited White Sands National Park and the numbers continue to increase. Occasionally the road into the park can close due to missile testing. The basin lacked any reliable water sources and was the primary stronghold of local Apaches who stole livestock from Pueblo and Spanish settlements near the basin. For a map of the park, click here. [70], The White Sands pupfish is the only species of fish endemic to the Tularosa Basin, and the only fish found in the park. [76] The park participates in the Junior Ranger Program, with various age-group-specific activities. Scientists have discovered what appear to be old lakeshores beneath the dunes using laser scanning technology. Daily means resemble those of a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), though its relatively high elevation and low precipitation causes a higher diurnal temperature variation and shorter growing season than would be typical of such a climate. When I was there it was a national monument but now I get to retroactively cross off a new park in my list! Like an ocean wave of rare white crystal gypsum sand-White Sands National Monument in the desert of New Mexico is known for dramatic landscapes of rare white gypsum sand dunes.In 2019 White Sands Nat... White Sands National Monument (park) is an awesome and unbelievable place. The bill was supported by the Alamogordo City Commission, the Las Cruces City Council, the Mescalero Apache Tribal Council, the Town of Mesilla Board of Trustees, Alamogordo Mayor Richard Boss, New Mexico Senator Ron Griggs (Republican), the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the Southern New Mexico Public Lands Alliance. [3][4] The missile range borders the park on all sides, with a cooperative use area designated in the park's western portion where public access is only allowed by permit. You will take a drive southwest on Highway 70 out of Ruidoso and descend the foothills surrounding Sierra Blanca peak, you’ll eventually find yourself in the Tularosa Basin.
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