In October 2019, my daughter Jill and I spent a four-day weekend in Ruidoso New Mexico. We went sightseeing in and around the town and took a day trip to White Sands National Park. Click HERE to read a short introduction about our awesome trip.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day at White Sands National Monument.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day at White Sands National Monument.
Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico (October 20, 2019) Jill and I awoke to another beautiful day. The sun was shining bright, the sky was a rich shade of blue, and the temperature was a cool 54 degrees. The weather was perfect for a day of outdoor activities!
When Jill and I planned our four-day trip, we viewed each day of "equal value," as each day's itinerary included new, interesting, and exciting things for us to see and do. With hindsight, though, I can say that this day - the last full day of our trip - was definitely the best. Why? Well, we spent the afternoon in the largest sandbox we've ever played in, and it was awesome! But first...
Alto Lake and Recreation Area
After a light breakfast - more a snack, as we planned to stop for brunch before we reached the sandbox - Jill and I drove from the village of Ruidoso on State Road 48, the western leg of Billy the Kid Trail. This scenic byway, which courses through Lincoln National Forest, gently rose to an elevation of about 7,600 feet. Five miles north of the village, we stopped at Alto Lake and Recreation Area.
When Jill and I planned our four-day trip, we viewed each day of "equal value," as each day's itinerary included new, interesting, and exciting things for us to see and do. With hindsight, though, I can say that this day - the last full day of our trip - was definitely the best. Why? Well, we spent the afternoon in the largest sandbox we've ever played in, and it was awesome! But first...
Alto Lake and Recreation Area
After a light breakfast - more a snack, as we planned to stop for brunch before we reached the sandbox - Jill and I drove from the village of Ruidoso on State Road 48, the western leg of Billy the Kid Trail. This scenic byway, which courses through Lincoln National Forest, gently rose to an elevation of about 7,600 feet. Five miles north of the village, we stopped at Alto Lake and Recreation Area.
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The lake, which is a man-made reservoir, is part of a planned residential and recreational community, aptly named Alto. I saw a beautiful photo of the lake when I researched Ruidoso ahead of our trip, and it was this photo that prompted.
Several people stood along the lake's shoreline with fishing rods in hand. I asked one fellow what he was fishing for. He said, "The lake is stocked with catfish, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass, and they're biting today," as he reeled in his catch. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it was a pretty good selection, I'd say.
Other people walked along a crushed-rock trail that circled the reservoir, and this was what Jill and I did. The scenery was beautiful - multi-colored trees, pine-scented conifers, tall wispy reeds, nearby hills, and distant mountains. It was a serene environment. Jill and I strolled to the far end of the lake. There, we looked back to see the Sierra Blanca, a range of volcanic mountains created by the Rio Grand rift. This was a great start to our day!
Several people stood along the lake's shoreline with fishing rods in hand. I asked one fellow what he was fishing for. He said, "The lake is stocked with catfish, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass, and they're biting today," as he reeled in his catch. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it was a pretty good selection, I'd say.
Other people walked along a crushed-rock trail that circled the reservoir, and this was what Jill and I did. The scenery was beautiful - multi-colored trees, pine-scented conifers, tall wispy reeds, nearby hills, and distant mountains. It was a serene environment. Jill and I strolled to the far end of the lake. There, we looked back to see the Sierra Blanca, a range of volcanic mountains created by the Rio Grand rift. This was a great start to our day!
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White Sand National Park
We backtracked to Ruidoso, where we picked up U.S. Highway 70 west. The road took us through part of the Mescalero Apache Reservation as it climbed the Sacramento Mountains. Soon we reached Apache Summit (7,951 feet above sea level), and as the saying goes, it was all downhill from there – 3,500 feet down, more or less, before the highway leveled off.
We drove past the towns of Mescalero and Bent, and as we rounded a curve in the highway, we caught a glimpse of a shimmering band of white on the horizon. Mirage-like, this was the dune fields of White Sands National Monument, still about 40 miles away.
We arrived in Alamogordo, home to Holloman Air Force Base, late morning. It was time for a real meal, and what we had in mind was a hearty breakfast. There were many restaurants on the main drag through the city, which clicked by as we drove in search of "the right restaurant." And within a few minutes, we found it: the Waffle & Pancake Shoppe. The name said it all, and the menu had all the usual suspects to satisfy our hunger – eggs, omelets, waffles, pancakes, and more. I ordered walnut pancakes with eggs and hash browns, while Jill ordered a three-egg omelet. My pancakes were loaded with walnuts, and they were mmmm, mmmm good!
We backtracked to Ruidoso, where we picked up U.S. Highway 70 west. The road took us through part of the Mescalero Apache Reservation as it climbed the Sacramento Mountains. Soon we reached Apache Summit (7,951 feet above sea level), and as the saying goes, it was all downhill from there – 3,500 feet down, more or less, before the highway leveled off.
We drove past the towns of Mescalero and Bent, and as we rounded a curve in the highway, we caught a glimpse of a shimmering band of white on the horizon. Mirage-like, this was the dune fields of White Sands National Monument, still about 40 miles away.
We arrived in Alamogordo, home to Holloman Air Force Base, late morning. It was time for a real meal, and what we had in mind was a hearty breakfast. There were many restaurants on the main drag through the city, which clicked by as we drove in search of "the right restaurant." And within a few minutes, we found it: the Waffle & Pancake Shoppe. The name said it all, and the menu had all the usual suspects to satisfy our hunger – eggs, omelets, waffles, pancakes, and more. I ordered walnut pancakes with eggs and hash browns, while Jill ordered a three-egg omelet. My pancakes were loaded with walnuts, and they were mmmm, mmmm good!
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After breakfast we drove a short distance to the visitor center for White Sands National Monument (redesignated as White Sands National Park in December 2019.) White Sands is located within the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest hot desert in North America. To tell you the truth, I didn't know that there was anything but a "hot desert."
Inside the visitor center we watched a short video and wandered through a series of exhibits with storyboards about the formation of the dunefield at White Sands, as well as the native plants and wildlife. We also purchased a few souvenirs at the gift shop (yes, I bought a White Sands ball cap to add to my collection of caps from places I've visited) and more bottled water to make sure that we stayed hydrated while in the park.
I can’t say with certainty, but I believe the White Sands dunefield may be one of the “youngest” national monuments, a mere 7,000-10,000 years old – a blink of the eye when measured in geologic time. The glistening dunefield is made up of granular selenite (a variety of gypsum) from surrounding mountains. Over thousands of years, the selenite was dissolved by water and carried to the Tularosa Basin, and then further broken down by wind and water to produce fine particles of sand.
I can’t say with certainty, but I believe the White Sands dunefield may be one of the “youngest” national monuments, a mere 7,000-10,000 years old – a blink of the eye when measured in geologic time. The glistening dunefield is made up of granular selenite (a variety of gypsum) from surrounding mountains. Over thousands of years, the selenite was dissolved by water and carried to the Tularosa Basin, and then further broken down by wind and water to produce fine particles of sand.
The selenite started out as a clear mineral, but as it was eroded by water and damaged by the winds, the surfaces of the mineral were scratched, and this is what made the sand appear white to our eyes. At 275 square miles, White Sands is the largest gypsum dunefield in the world!
We left the visitor center and drove to the entrance station, where we paid a $20 fee to enter the park. This was the start of an eight-mile loop road through White Sands, and as we learned on our drive, there were plenty of places along the way to stop and access portions of the dunefield open to the public.
The first views we had of White Sands put a smile on our face - desert vegetation that poked through rolling white dunes that hugged the side of the road. Pretty, yes, but we had no idea at this point how spectacular the dunefield was.
We left the visitor center and drove to the entrance station, where we paid a $20 fee to enter the park. This was the start of an eight-mile loop road through White Sands, and as we learned on our drive, there were plenty of places along the way to stop and access portions of the dunefield open to the public.
The first views we had of White Sands put a smile on our face - desert vegetation that poked through rolling white dunes that hugged the side of the road. Pretty, yes, but we had no idea at this point how spectacular the dunefield was.
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A couple of miles from the fee station, we stopped at the Interdune Boardwalk. The boardwalk is short, about one-half mile round trip, and an easy walk, to be sure. And it was a great place to start our exploration from, as there were several informative storyboards posted along the way that provided more information about the science, wildlife, and weather of White Sands and scenic views of the the dunefield with the Sacramento Mountains on the horizon. Now we had a better sense of the wonder of White Sands.
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The paved road gave way to hard-packed dirt and rock covered with white sand, and with little vegetation in sight, we saw the pure beauty of undulating dunes with wind-blown tracks!
We stopped several times along the looped road to walk in this sandbox - often with shoes off to experience the "feel" of the sand on the soles of our feet and between our toes. And play? Well, we forgot to bring our shovels and pails, but this didn't stop us from scooping sand with our hands, creating designs in the sand with our fingers, and lying down to make sand angels. It was all great fun! And we saw others having fun, too, including groups of people who brought snow saucers to sled down the sand dunes.
The White Sands dunefield is in constant motion, moved by the ever-prevalent winds that blow from the west. And this wind was what ended our visit late afternoon, as it lifted the sand into our eyes and throat.
There are many words that describe White Sands National Monument, including:
There are many words that describe White Sands National Monument, including:
AMAZING! AWESOME! SPECTACULAR!
Ruidoso Bound
With all the walking and playing, we worked up an appetite. In Alamogordo, we stopped at Rizo’s Mexican Restaurant, where Jill and I ordered the three-taco dinner plate. Our meals were delicious.
With all the walking and playing, we worked up an appetite. In Alamogordo, we stopped at Rizo’s Mexican Restaurant, where Jill and I ordered the three-taco dinner plate. Our meals were delicious.
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Just outside Alamogordo, we stopped at McGinn’s Pistachio Tree Ranch. "Why," you ask? Well, McGinn boasts the world’s largest pistachio, some 30 feet tall. I couldn't verify or refute this claim, so I accepted it and now pass along to you. McGinn also had a country store (this I CAN confirm), where we bought a few bags of flavored pistachios and a pistachio nut ice cream cone.
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Yes, today was our favorite day. Jill and I started our day at a scenic lake and then spent several hours at a natural wonder "unlike any other." It was a wonderful way to end our four days of sightseeing in and around Ruidoso!