Alamogordo, NM - White Sands NP (3/3 - 3/5/25)

After leaving Arizona, we headed east to New Mexico to visit some more National Parks. In Alamogordo, we stayed at the White Sands KOA Journey. Here we visited the White Sands National Park where it was exactly what we expected. Miles of white sand dunes were all around you.

The sand was surprisingly very firm to walk on several of the trails in the park.

The sand is made up of gypsum crystals from a naturally occurring process of evaporating mineral rich waters and wind blowing the sand east into the park.

It reminds you so much of driving after a heavy snow, except it was warm outside and the roads were not slick.

One of the things to do here for kids was to rent a disc and sled down the hills. The hills weren't huge so it may have been more fun for the younger ones.

Another attraction in Alamogordo was the The Museum of Space History. This multi-story facility had many exhibits on how space history started in this area. From early rockets to later technology research and development at White Sands Missile Range. The Trinity Site of early nuclear bomb testing was also not far away.

Not far from the town were mountains where you could take a scenic drive up several thousand feet of elevation and about 30 degrees of temperature difference.

At the top, be sure to stop in at Cloudcroft Brewing whose motto is "Beer tastes better in the mountains" for a beverage and or meal.

On our way to Alamogordo, we passed through Las Cruces and saw this sculpture of my now favorite bird. Look out for my next post after we head east to head out on an epic adventure for a European river cruise and trip to Scotland.