White Sands National Park in New Mexico is conveniently located about 16 miles (25.7 kilometers) southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico.
While there is an airport located in Alamogordo, no current commercial service is offered. If you intend to fly in to New Mexico to visit White Sands, the closest commercial airports are in El Paso, Texas (82 miles/132 kilometers) south of the park and Albuquerque, New Mexico (224 miles/360.5 kilometers) north of the park.
There is no public transportation into White Sands from Alamogordo, and rideshare services are not recommended since they will take you to the park entrance but they will not pick you up. Also, to get into the park proper is an 8-mile (13 kilometer) walk one-way. You will need to drive your own vehicle or a rental vehicle.
Driving Directions
The visitor center and Dunes Drive is located directly off of Highway US-70 between the cities of Alamogordo and Las Cruces. The entrance to the park can be found between mile markers 199 and 200 on Highway US-70.
From Alamogordo, NM:
Drive time: About 15 minutes
Head west on Highway US-70 towards Las Cruces. The visitor center is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of Alamogordo on the north side (right-hand side) of the road.
From Las Cruces, NM:
Drive time: About 1 hour
Head east on Highway US-70 towards Alamogordo. The visitor center is located about 52 miles (84 km) east of Las Cruces on the north side (left-hand side) of the road, one mile (1.6 km) past the Border Patrol station.
From El Paso, TX:
There are two ways to arrive at White Sands from El Paso.
Through Las Cruces:
Drive time: 1.5 hours
Take I-10 West towards Las Cruces. After 39 miles (62.76 km), exit onto I-25 North. Follow I-25 North for about seven miles (11.27 km) and then exit onto US-70 East towards Alamogordo. The visitor center is located about 52 miles (84 km) east of Las Cruces on the north side (left-hand side) of the road, one mile (1.6 km) past the Border Patrol station.
Through Alamogordo:
Drive time: 1.5 hours
Take US-54 East towards Alamogordo. After 82 miles (131.97 km), turn left onto US-70 West towards Las Cruces. The visitor center is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of Alamogordo on the north side (right-hand side) of the road.
Do not trust your GPS unit or app, as typing in “White Sands” may direct you to White Sands Missile Range instead of the park. Instead, use the following GPS coordinates or physical address:
32° 46' 45" North, 106° 10' 19" West
White Sands National Park
19955 Highway 70 West
Alamogordo, NM 88310
Operating Hours
White Sands National Park, unlike most other national parks, is not open 24/7. Operating hours change with the season and you will want to check here to see when the park and visitor center are open during your visit. And, don’t even think of sticking around past closing times when the gates are locked for the night. Staying the night on the dunes is disorienting and you can easily get lost. Rangers check the area for the safety of visitors.
Park Closures for Missile Tests
Due to missile testing on the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, it is occasionally necessary for visitor safety to close the road into the park for periods of up to three hours. U.S. Highway 70 between Alamogordo and Las Cruces is also closed during times of missile testing. Visitors on a tight schedule are encouraged to check the park closure web page the day before arrival to confirm hours of operation.
The nearest lodging, groceries, dining options, fuel, and EV chargers are located within Alamogordo.
- By Rebecca Latson - July 14th, 2025 8:05am
