White Sands National Monument

By plane
By plane

White Sands Regional Airport in Alamogordo has regular daily commuter service to Albuquerque. The closest major airport is in El Paso, Texas, from which the park may be reached via Interstates 10 and 25 and US Route 70/82 with Las Cruces en route.

By car
By car

A car is pretty much the only way to reach the monument; no public transportation services White Sands. The visitor center is on U.S. Highway 70/82, 15 miles 24.15km southwest of Alamogordo and 52 miles east of Las Cruces. The monument is open daily, except Christmas Day. Summer hours Memorial Day through Labor Day: Visitor Center 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Dunes Drive 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Winter hours: Visitor Center 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Dunes Drive 7:00 AM to sunset.

Note that due to missile testing on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, it is occasionally necessary, for visitor safety,to close the Dunes Drive for periods of up to two hours. U.S. Highway 70/82 between Alamogordo and Las Cruces is also closed during times of missile testing. Visitors on a tight schedule are encouraged to call the day prior to arrival for information on closures.