Dunes Drive is open. A safety corridor is in effect between mile marker 3 and 5.5 along Dunes Drive. Visitors may drive but not stop or exit their vehicle in this area. More
Park staff can't wait to share the wonders of White Sands with you!
NPS
Love national parks? There's a holiday for that! National Park Week is celebrated annually, usually coinciding with Earth Day on April 22. Join us to discover a new park, learn about your favorite places, and share the wonder of the country's most fascinating natural and cultural resources. In 2025, National Park Week will be observed from Saturday, April 19 through Sunday, April 27.
The first National Park Week was held in 1991, when President George H.W. Bush established the holiday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service. Since then, the event has grown into a yearly tradition, providing time to reflect on the parks' accomplishments and spread the park love. Although the week was originally recognized in August, it was eventually rescheduled to April to align with Earth Day and its emphasis on environmental stewardship.
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 as a response to growing environmental concerns nationwide. Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, was inspired by teach-ins protesting the Vietnam War and spurred to action after a massive oil spill occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969. Although his initial idea was to hold environmentally-focused teach-ins on college campuses, the concept quickly gathered steam. On April 22, 1970, more than 20 million Americans participated in protests and other Earth Day events -- representing 10% of the country's total population at the time. The massive success has only grown since then, and Earth Day is now observed by over a billion people in 193 countries, making it the most celebrated secular holiday in the world. Popular activities include picking up litter, planting trees, learning about nature, and even just spending the day outside.
National parks provide endless opportunities for connection: to nature, to American stories, to ourselves, and most importantly, to one another. Come find your connection at White Sands or a park near you during this year's National Park Week.
The easiest way to join White Sands in celebrating National Park Week is to follow us on social media. You can find us on Instagram and Facebook. To see events around the country, visit the National Park Service's official National Park Week page.
Worried about the cost of visiting a park? Never fear! The first day of National Park Week (April 19, 2025) is a fee-free day across the National Park Service, meaning that there will be no entrance fees at any NPS sites, including White Sands. You can find a list of all annual fee-free days on our fees page.
