Travelrific® Travel Journal
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The White Sands of New Mexico
By Linda Tancs
Rising from the heart of New Mexico’s Tularosa Basin 14 miles west of Alamogordo is a sea of glistening white sands dating to the end of the last Ice Age, a prized gypsum dunefield known as White Sands National Monument. Although many dunefields exist around the world, most comprise typical brown quartz and other minerals. Only a handful of gypsum dunefields exist, White Sands being the world’s largest at 275 square miles. Even some of the animals living there are as white as their surroundings. In fact, three species of lizards, one pocket mouse and numerous species of insects have evolved a white coloration for survival in the white sands. Like every animal in the white sands, they make tracks on the varied dunes (four different types) during their nocturnal movements. Even the dunes themselves move as much as 30 feet per year. Park hours vary by season due to missile testing at the nearby range or inclement weather.
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The Land of Enchantment
By Linda Tancs
New Mexico is a state in the southwestern U.S., a terrain of mountains, high plains and desert so captivating it earns its nickname as the land of enchantment. You’ll be sure to expand your horizons (literally speaking) with visits to places as diverse as the ancient Carlsbad Caverns, the white sand dunes at White Sands National Monument and the highest point at Wheeler Peak northeast of Taos. Learn more at Travelrific® Radio.
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