Our next stop is White Sands National Monument. Gary doesn't think we should stop - like who hasn't seen sand dunes before. I convince him it's worth the stop
and so we begin the 8 mile Dunes Drive
The monument is 275 square miles of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. It is the largest gypsum dune field in the world.
The first 5 miles are paved and then it becomes packed gypsum sand
We find a parking spot big enough for the RV and go for a short walk.
We hike up one of the dunes and at first Tucson thought it was snow and started rolling in it.
We let him off-leash for a short bit so he could run. Unlike dunes made of quartz-based sand crystals, the gypsum does not
readily convert the sun's energy into heat and can be walked upon
safely with bare feet, even in the hot summer months
I think we may have driven further than we though - could we have reached the Sahara?
One of the past-times here is sledding
a couple offered their sleds up for us to try but we declined - the tip down is fun
it's that trip back up that's a challenge
The Monument is completely surrounded by military installations. In the past White Sands Missile Range dropped errant missiles on the visitor's center. Now the drive is closed when there are missile tests - glad there was none today.
Rain and snow-melt from the surrounding mountains fill Lake Lucero with
gypsum-laden water. Lake Lucero is a playa: a dry lake that
periodically fills with water. Rain and snow-melt settle in Lake Lucero
temporarily filling it like a giant puddle. When the gypsum-laden water
evaporates under the hot sun, beneath the surface of Lake Lucero,
selenite crystals form in the mud, just as they did in the former and
larger Lake Otero. Wind and water break down these crystals into smaller
and smaller particles. A 15-17 mph wind will pick up particles the size
of corn flakes and push them across the desert floor like bumper cars.
This process breaks down the particles until they are fine grains of
white gypsum sand.
We did the boardwalk
and it was getting quite warm so we got back in the Truck and headed out
Gary was glad I made him go!
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