White Sands National Park is a National Park in New Mexico. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in White Sands
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to White Sands. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Sand Dunes (1)
National Wildlife Refuges (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At White Sands the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:22 PM | 245° | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:51 PM | 256° | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:14 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 282° | 12h 59m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 293° | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 299° | 14h 18m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 297° | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:52 PM | 287° | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:13 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 260° | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:05 PM | 248° | 10h 29m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:02 PM | 243° | 10h 00m |
Computed for the park's reference point (32.7791, -106.3333); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From White Sands, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:34 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.8 | 17° |
| March | 3:45 AM – 5:45 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| May | 11:42 PM – 4:22 AM | 4.7 | 28° |
| June | 9:57 PM – 4:07 AM | 6.2 | 28° |
| July | 9:53 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.8 | 28° |
| August | 9:21 PM – 12:41 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 2.2 | 25° |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.8 | 17° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Temperatures at White Sands vary greatly throughout the year. Summer time temperatures can be very hot. Winters are mild with cool evenings. Spring time is the windy season. Fall is very enjoyable with mild daytime and night time temperatures.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $50.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
White Sands National Park is located off of US Highway 70 between the cities of Las Cruces and Alamogordo. The park is about 15 miles west of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
Nearby parks
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