Pictured above is the spectacular White Sands National Monument located in Southern New Mexico. This was shot in late evening as the sun was setting. I visited during my week-long road trip through the state in September 2012; these white sand dunes are unlike anything I’ve ever seen and were easily the highlight of my trip. It covers more than 275 square miles and is the biggest of it’s kind in the world.

The area used to be covered by a lake and is composed of gypsum crystals that give it it’s uniquely bright white color. The sand was very powdery and fine and it felt great walking around bare foot. It is so beautiful that it was going to be designated as a World Heritage Site (where I firmly believe it belongs). Unfortunately there is a military missile testing site right next to it, that caused it to be blocked from being added to the list by politicians. An absolute shame.

There is an 8 mile long ‘sand road’ that any vehicle can easily drive through. The park has lots of trails for hiking and it wasn’t the least bit crowded. Admission is only $3.00 and gets you access to the park for 7 full days. I highly recommend anyone visiting the state go see it for yourself, you won’t regret it!

More info can be found at the official website here: www.nps.gov/whsa