Trifter

The White Sands National Monument (WSNM), situated within the Tularosa Basin, was at one time being considered as a game preserve.  However, the attempt at introducing antelope (Oryx) into the area caused problems for the other wildlife due to food competition.  In 2008 the US attorney was petitioned to have White Sands taken off the World Heritage List.  White Sands does have a strangeness about it that sort of transcends human politics.  It is one of those rare places on the planet where the sand is composed of gypsum.  Gypsum dissolves in water but because the water is actually trapped by the surrounding mountains it seeps into the ground and the gypsum remains in crystalline form.  And that makes for a landscape that is truly remarkable.

Wind drift around plants

Is that weird or what? What hold this together is the root system of the plant life.  Plants may appear to be short but actually can be up to 30 feet in height with most of it covered by the gypsum sand.  What you see on the surface is only a very small part of the actual plant.

But I am getting ahead of the story.  And this story does have a beginning.  Our apartment is only 13 miles from the WSNM and therefore it was an easy trip for us on the morning of September 25, 09.  We arrived at the visitor center at 8 am, spoke to the park ranger at the desk and watched a movie on the flora and fauna of WSNM.

Visitor Center

The desert garden around the visitor center is really beautiful.  If you visit WSNM take the time to wander around the outside of the center.  If you like desert flowers you will not be disappointed.

That’s a “Jill Desert Rose” standing among the rest of the desert flora!  Bet you never saw that before!

The inside of the center has many interesting facts about WSNM including a movie on the Flora and Fauna ( I always liked saying “Flora and Fauna”)

The pretty park ranger sort of adds to the beauty of the center.

Book store

The Eco system is brutal but life proves to be tenacious.

What is truly amazing is that this gypsum desert is home to some very beautiful flowers. 

If you don’t want to take home the gypsum in your socks, the park service provides a boardwalk for walking between the dunes.  It is a pleasant walk that allows everyone, including those in a wheel chair to view everything up close.

And there is a park ranger on the boardwalk ready to explain the amazing features of WSNM.

End of the boardwalk is a view of the Tularosa Basin

Plants survive in the most extreme conditions.

Families find some unique uses of these gypsum dunes.  Think “snow sledding” without snow!

And of course Jill insisted we make a climb to the top of one of the dunes.  A sort of rite of passage that says “yes we walked the path of the gypsum”!

Uhhh….is that Rocky at the top?

Yep that’s me at the top of the dune: thinking about how the hell I was going to slide back down!

View from the top of the dune

The park service does provides comfort stations.  However, there is no water available out there so if you visit bring water with you.

That’s our backpack on wheels behind Jill (a Nissan that has 175000 miles and still going great).  It is our only means of transportation and makes for a great camping car.  And yes, Jill is taking a picture of me rolling back down that damn dune!

The White Sands National Monument is not your typical journey.  It really is off the beaten path and most tourist coming to the southwest will not see it because it is in the Tularosa Basin which does not have an interstate running through it.  However, if you happen to be coming to visit this part of New Mexico, do visit the park.  The ride around the loop takes about 45 minutes but the total time around will be about 2 hours if you take the time to walk around a bit.

The Journey Continues

Jill and Nevyn Campanella
Alamogordo New Mexico

aka: Woodland Star