Indiana's got Nothin' on This!

Indiana Dunes are ok, don't get me wrong: they are something different to see.  But White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, New Mexico, are absolutely amazing: 275 square miles of white sand that has created the largest gypsum dune field in the world!

There is a nature trail there that walks you through an area with some vegetation and where most of the wildlife live- nothing was out because I walked through it during the hot time of day.  I did see some tracks though: fox, lizard, snake, jack rabbit, darkling beetle.  The mounds of sand surrounding you are unbelievable, and really difficult to climb.  I had to periodically dump a pound of sand from my shoes (changed to sandals later), my pockets, and dust it off of my skin before entering the car!

Drove into the heart of the dunes and used the sled that I rented from the visitors center to take a few rides down several dunes.  It was way fun, but you have to rub wax on the bottom of the sled.  I didn't for my first run and got a mouthful of sand!  After that, I had a blast gliding down the sand mountains- only a for a little bit though.  That sun was beating down hard and it blinds you as it reflects off of the sparkling sand.  There are only so many times that one can make the hike up one of these things under the blaring sun when all 4 bottles of her water are empty.

 

My pictures just don't do the dunes justice- I really don't know how to photograph white on white while getting the depth that you see in real life.  The vast sky stretches all the way back with the sun illuminating some of the dunes in the distance a stark white and the closer ones softer.