White Sands National Monument

White Sands National Monument
click photo to enlarge	This is the visitors center at White Sands National Monument. It is a Spanish Pueblo style architecture and was built during the depression by the WPA. Over the years we have visited many national parks from the east coast to the west and have enjoyed many facilities built by either the WPA or the CCC.
click photo to enlarge	White sands are actually dunes of gypsum sand in the Chihuahuan desert. The park is also in the middle of the White Sands Missile Test Range. There is one main road running through the middle of the test range that the park is on. It can regularly be shut down for up to 2 hours at a time for missile testing.
click photo to enlarge	This was a spot with picnic tables where we had lunch. The temperature in the shade was very comfortable in the mid 80's. But out in the dunes with all the reflection of the sun off the white sand it could get quite warm.
click photo to enlarge	People would bring plastic sleds to go sled riding down the dunes just as if it were snow. I heard some talking about how the sledding was not real good on this day because it had rained the night before and the and was damp causing the sled to stick a bit.
click photo to enlarge	Here is a puddle from the rain the night before. The average annual rainfall is only 8 inches. The rain was from the remnants of hurricane Javier as it passed through the area.