Driving through White Sands National Park on the 8-mile paved then sand road, feels like driving through snow. The scene is so white, and the sand drifts onto the pavement and gets plowed off just like snow. We had sunshine and cool temperatures (55-60) which was perfect for hiking in the dunes. We drove to the Alkali Flats trail area to park. The parking lots in this park are really spacious so we had no trouble finding parking, except at the really busy visitors center.

Alkali Flats is a really strenuous hike through the sand dunes out to the flats. The trail is NOT flat, but goes up and down the dunes. Plowing up is a great work-out and slipping down is fun. The sand is really fine, and makes a hard surface on wind-swept dune sides.

Most of the trail is in soft sand that will fill shoes. Tony wore sandals and I wore slip-on water shoes with socks. Signs warn you not to pick up “strange objects” as stuff occasionally drops here from the still-active missile testing site. We walked almost five miles to do the whole trail in less than two hours. The cool temperatures today were perfect for this and the mild breezes meant no blowing sand. I remember visiting here as a kid with my family on a windy day where the sand gets in your eyes and reduces visibility.

The Alamogordo KOA had sleds to borrow, so we had to try that as well. Steep dunes with packed sand but soft landings are tricky to find.