White Sands National Monument, true to its name, has expanses of gypsum sand glistening blazing white in the New Mexico sun.
White Sands patterns
However, if you stay for dusk, the colors of the sky reflect themselves in the sand.
Dusk color
You can also pay to have a ranger unlock the gates before dawn to enjoy the early morning color.
Morning under the Sacramento Mountains
The New Mexico legislature is considering a bill asking the federal government to change the monument's designation to a National Park. The monument is adjacent to White Sands missile range and south of the Trinity site where the first atomic bomb was tested. The proposal suggests exchanging some land with the test site to allow greater access to dunes.