Discover Another World at White Sands National Monument

Deep in the heart of New Mexico, about an hour and a half from the Mexican border, lives the largest chain of gypsum dunes in the world. The white sands stretch as far as your eyes can see and are the perfect contrast to the endless blue sky above. Mark stayed behind to snap some photos as I ran up my first dune with the dogs. When I reached the peak and saw the seemingly infinite landscape glaring back at me I felt my brain buzz. Perhaps it was because it was nearly 100 degrees and I was dehydrated, but maybe it was because I was looking at such a vast and open space and actually sort of comprehending it. Either way, it was an incredible feeling.

**********

We spent a few hours chasing each other up and down the dunes, sliding down the sides of the mounds (without sleds, which you can actually purchase at the information center for $17, and return for a $5 refund), and burying ourselves in the sand. As the sun began to set, we chose the best spot to watch as the blue sky turned cotton candy colored and everything around us took on a heavenly glow. White Sands National Monument is out of this world and has been one of the highlights of this entire trip. I really encourage you to check it out for yourselves.