Alkali Flat Trail - White Sands National Monument (New Mexico)

Location: White Sands National Monument
Nearest City: Alamogordo, NM (15 miles)
Hike Type: Lollipop
Net Elevation Gain: Negligible, some dune climbing
Distance: 4.6 miles
Trail Surface: Gypsum Sand
Date of Hike: June 30, 2010

The Alkali Flat - which this trail covers a portion of - is the dry lake bed of Lake Otero, a lake that filled the bottom of the Tularosa Basin during the last ice age and covered 1,600 square miles.  The trail traverses bright white gypsum sand dunes and it is it is best to bring sunglasses to protect your eyes.

View Alkali Flat Trail in a larger map

The drive from Carlsbad, NM to WSNM in south central New Mexico is about three hours and is very scenic when it passes through Lincoln National Forest.  The first thought that came to my mind when we made it out here was a line from America the Beautiful: “Purple Mountain Majesties.”  The mountains really seemed to have purple hue that contrasted very sharply against the white sands.  A favorite activity in the park is to rent sledding discs and slide down the dunes.  This is quite fun but I also think the hiking trail is quite an enjoyable experience as well.

This is us in the hear of the park.  You can see a truck off to the right and people off in the distance sliding down the dunes just to the left of my head.

The trail is very unique in that there is nothing but bright white sand for miles and miles.  Without well placed trail markers or a compass in hand it would be impossible to keep a straight line or have the faintest idea which direction you were walking.  Thankfully, the trail is well marked.  My brother and I were the only two people on the trail at the time.  It was very interesting to feel so isolated in an area that was just past the main park road where throngs of people were sliding down the dunes.  Not long after the trail starts you will lose sight road and all the cars and people nearby it.  It’s sort of a surreal feeling to forge further and further into this bright white vastness which seems to go on forever.  You literally feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere and that it might take days to find the end of this environment.  Traversing on sand and up and down dunes does not make for brisk hiking but it is a very unique experience.   

A trail marker along the way

Looking back east on the trail.  This shot is me experimenting with my camera's HDR feature

This is a view along the road just before reaching WSNM and soon after exiting Lincoln National Forest.