I’ve been holding out on a pretty special destination that Bailey and I visited on our 4-month road trip last year. While we were on our road trip, our friends Ty and Buster of GoPetFriendly.com were also sniffing around the States, seeking out the #1 pet-friendly attraction in each state. If you think traveling with a pet is not possible, think again! These guys have been all over the United States and found that even many national parks are pet-friendly. The GoPetFriendly team penned a pretty cool book sharing the #1 Pet-Friendly Attraction in each of 48 states and Washington D.C. (Buy it here!)
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In 2019, White Sands joined the growing list of National Parks in New Mexico. Fortunately, attaining National Park status has not affected the pet-friendly status of the park; so let’s keep being good dog owners so many other dogs can enjoy the park in years to come!
New Mexico’s #1 Dog-Friendly Spot: White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park is located in Southern New Mexico, 16 miles west of Alamogordo. It’s a great weekend trip from Tucson, as it’s only five hours away. The “sand” at White Sands is actually gypsum and the park encompasses the largest gypsum dune field in the world. I loved visiting White Sands, and can’t recommend it highly enough. There’s plenty to do, whether you have a few hours or a whole weekend, and it’s super dog-friendly! Pets are allowed everywhere in White Sands except the Visitor’s Center.
I highly recommend going to White Sands at sunset. If you get a good one, the sky will glow pink and reflect back off the sand. We really lucked out with some amazing clouds! This was only a short dune climb from the parking lot, and we had the whole area to ourselves.
The next day, we returned to explore a bit more of the sand dunes. As you drive to the end of the road, it’s incredible how much the sand looks like snow, and you can even see where it’s been plowed off the road. I even saw a family with Santa hats, taking their Christmas card photo. With snow, there is sledding, and White Sands is no exception. Sledding is super popular here, so make sure you bring a sled or rent one at the visitor center. I loved just wandering the dunes, and exploring the various wind patterns in the sand. Next time I visit White Sands, I would love to do some backcountry camping.
White Sands National Monument Camping
The only camping inside of White Sands National Monument is in the backcountry. A permit is required for backcountry campsites located along a 2-mile loop trail. For car camping or RV camping, Alamogordo is the closest option. We stayed at the KOA Alamogordo in one of their camping cabins. This allowed us to visit White Sands two days in a row, without too much driving back and forth.
White Sands National Monument Hotels
If camping isn’t your jam, there are many hotels near White Sands National Monument in both Alamogordo and in Las Cruces. Las Cruces is a bit farther, and nearly one hour from White Sands, but has more places to eat and sleep than Alamogordo.
White Sands National Monument Packing List
Your packing list for White Sands will vary on how long you stay and how far you plan to hike. Here are a few suggestions for what to bring to White Sands National Monument.
Buy your National Parks pass before you go!
- Water – pack plenty of water for you and your dog! There’s no water in the dunes, and it’s very dry!
- Map and compass if you plan to head very far into the dunes
- Boots for your dog if the sand is hot. Read about our favorite dog boots.
- Snow saucers! If you forget one, there may be some for rent at the visitor’s center. Call ahead.
Getting to White Sands National Park
This is one of those national parks that’s not necessarily easy to reach. And those are some of the best parks! On my last visit, I drove from Tuscon, which is about five hours away. Most travelers likely include White Sands in a National Park road trip. Even if you are flying from afar, you will need to rent a car in order to get to White Sands.
- El Paso is 90 minutes away; this is probably the closest airport
- This West Texas road trip is well worth the detour!
- Albuquerque is about 3 1/2 hours away
Fantastic post, Leigh! I’m so glad that you and Bailey enjoyed White Sands – one of our favorite places. And thank you for hopping aboard our virtual road trip!
Thanks for the great ideas! I love Las Cruces and White Sands would be a nice side trip after spending time with friends in town.
We have not spent too much time in New Mexico, but I definitely look forward to it once I’m done writing my Arizona guide book!
OMD, Honey would be in heaven visiting the dunes at White Sands! Thanks to your beautiful pictures, I’ve added White Sands to my travel bucket list. Now I just need to talk the hubby into buying an RV to go with the sailboat!
Haha – yeah, it’s pretty landlocked!
We love White Sands and can’t wait to visit again in December.
We live in Austin and our favorite dog friendly spots are all the lakes around us. Perfect for swimming and paddle boarding with your dog.
Congratulations, Carmen! You won the e-copy of the Ultimate Pet Friendly Road Trip. Keep an eye on your email for more details. Thanks for entering!
This is one place on my list to visit – and thanks for the reminder to take a snow saucer.