White Sands National Monument

Continuing with our site-seeing trip on Thursday, we made our way about 30 more miles west of the missile museum through some of the most desolate land I have ever seen. This is all part of the missile range and I can see why they used that area - nobody else would want it!

However, just when you've about given up hope, suddenly there is this beautiful white sand in rolling hills with a surprising amount of vegetation.

This is the front edge of the dunes which are moving steadily in a northeast direction.



Some of the plants can avoid burial by the moving sand. These soaptree yuccas look only a couple feet tall, but actually have grown tall enough for their leaves to stay above the sand which was at least 20 feet deep at this spot.



Some plants (I'm sorry I don't know what this is) anchor part of a dune with their roots. . .



And keep growing on a sand pedestal even after the dune moves on. Oh, and in case you doubt the existence of wildlife in this harsh environment, there is a bird on this bush.












Of course, a plant like that is on shaky ground.


This is one of Ron's pictures and is what I was expecting to see - lots and lots of nothing but sand. He caught some nice sand waves in the foreground with the San Andres mountains in the back.



This picture of Ron just tickled me. I feel like I should come up with a snappy title.



If you go to the White Sands NM, remember to bring your saucer for sledding. Although if you forget, never fear, the gift shop at the entrance will sell them to you. Ron caught this little guy in mid slide. Looks like fun!