Operating Hours & Seasons
The monument is open daily year round.

Winter hours: (January 1 - May 22, 2009; September 8, 2009 - May 22, 2010)

Visitor Center 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  The Dunes Drive may be entered from 7:00 a.m. to sunset. No vehicles may enter the Dunes Drive after sunset. All visitors must exit the park by one hour after sunset.

Summer hours (May 23 through September 7, 2009): 

Visitor Center 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.  The Dunes Drive may be entered from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. No vehicles may enter the Dunes Drive after 9 p.m. All visitors must exit the park by 10 p.m.

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 three 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.