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Welcome to White Sands! The information below will help you find all the information you will need to help plan a safe and fun visit to White Sands National Park. Information in different languages is available to help you plan. 
NPS Photo Park operating hours vary by season, and is occasionally closed for periods of time due to missile tests on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. Visitors are encouraged to check the Park Closure webpage to verify that a closure is not in effect. 
NPS Photo Entrance fees are charged per vehicle to enter White Sands National Park. There are also individual passes available for those biking into the park. Children ages 15 and younger enter for free. The National Park Service has also designated various days throughout the year as Fee Free Days. Those interested in interagency park passes can purchase them at the fee station. 
NPS Photo Applications for various special use permits are available, such as weddings, backcountry camping, and commercial filming and photography. Reservations are not needed to enter the park; however, some of our interpretive programs require advance reservations. Special rates are available for those bringing commercial bus tours to the park. School groups coming to the park for a curriculum-based activity may be eligible for an educational fee waiver. 
NPS Photo The weather in the Tularosa Basin is usually quite nice with clear, sunny skies for approximately 330 days out of the year. Summers are hot with daytime temperatures averaging 97ºF (36ºC) in the summer and 60ºF (16ºC) in the winter. Most of our rainfall occurs during "monsoon season" from early-July through mid-October. 
NPS Photo National parks, like White Sands National Park, are special places for all to enjoy now and into the future. It is important that we minimize our impacts and leave as little evidence as possible of our visits to forests, parks, and other protected places. Always pack-out anything you pack-in; including trash such as food wrappers and empty bottles. In addition to aesthetic concerns, there are health concerns for people and wildlife. It is easy to Leave No Trace when you visit White Sands. The White Sands National Park Leave No Trace principles are adapted from Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics’ Seven Leave No Trace Principles. Leave No Trace ethics can be applied in any natural setting to minimize human impacts on the environment. 
NPS Photo Park regulations help keep you safe during your visit. These regulations include applicable federal, state, and park specific regulations. 
NPS Photo Visitors are welcome to bring their pets to the park as long as they are kept on a leash. However, pets are not permitted in the visitor center or gift shop; service animals are allowed. Do not leave pets unattended or locked in your vehicle. Please leash your pets before opening your car doors. |
Last updated: January 14, 2024