Sledding, Sand, and Surprises at White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park feels like returning to the white sand beaches of Australia, without the ocean. The blindingly white dunes stretch for miles, the gypsum sand so soft it squeaks underfoot with an endless horizon of rolling hills. Naturally, our version of exploring involved hiking, getting blasted by the wind, and then launching ourselves down the dunes on rented sleds.
Desert Wildlife and Some Unsettling Animal Facts
We started the day with a nature hike to learn about the park’s ecosystem. The kids were fascinated to learn how mother jackrabbits protect their babies—not by staying close, but by keeping their distance to avoid drawing attention to the nest. Jack, was eager to share that the bats here don’t eat flying insects like most bats—they go after ground-based bugs instead.
That little revelation seemed harmless enough, but then we learned about the tarantula hawk wasp. This charming insect stings a tarantula, paralyzes it, lays an egg inside, and then drags the body into a hole so that when the wasp larva hatches, it has a fresh meal waiting. Jack, normally fascinated by nature’s brutality, was even horrified.
James, meanwhile, was upset to learn that bobcats and coyotes hunt jackrabbits, but at least we didn’t see any dramatic predator-prey action while we were out on the trails. In fact, we didn’t see much wildlife at all—just a lot of wind, a lot of sand, and very few places to take cover.
Sledding, Crashes, and Stand-Up Boarding
Then came the real fun. We had rented five sleds of various shapes and sizes, along with a purchase of two bars of wax to help us pick up speed. The kids started out hesitant, but by the end, they were all competing to see who could go the fastest. To be fair, our first attempts weren’t exactly well-planned. We started too close to the car, and Adeline learned this the hard way when she crashed right into the front bumper on her first run. Lesson learned. We moved farther out, and that’s when things really took off.
James, Carolina, and I attempted a three-person sled ride, which picked up some speed but probably didn’t have enough surface area for our combined weight. Meanwhile, the oldest four kids and Amy took things up a notch, mastering stand-up dune boarding. It was a full-body workout; we walked away covered in sand but thrilled with their progress.
Despite the bright sun reflecting off the white dunes, the temperature never climbed above 70 degrees. It felt much hotter with the intensity of the sun, but the gypsum doesn’t absorb heat like regular sand, making it surprisingly comfortable. That said, we still ended up covered head to toe in white sand, which followed us back into the car, into our shoes, and into Poky’s fur.
If there was one irritant to our day at White Sands, it was sand in the eyes. With all that fine gypsum sand blowing around, it was inevitable that someone would end up with a face full of it. Waiting until we got back to the visitor center to properly rinse it out made for an uncomfortable trek back.
No Missiles, No Water, Just Wide-Open Space
One of the odd things about White Sands is that it’s next to an active missile range, so it’s entirely possible to visit on a day when testing is happening, and access to the park is limited. Fortunately, we didn’t see any missile activity—just the quiet vastness of the dunes stretching in every direction.
We also didn’t see much water or wildlife, but the peacefulness of the park made for an unforgettable day of sledding, hiking, and unexpected nature lessons. And the best part? Poky got to join us, which is a rare treat in a national park.
We’d definitely recommend the day at White Sands complete with sled rentals. But next time, we’ll start way farther from the car—and maybe fashion up some wind goggles.
