White Sands National Park in New Mexico is quite the treat. Before you go, you should know what to expect when you get there.

00:00 White Sands National Park - What to Expect
00:39 White Sands National Park - Know Before You Go
01:15 White Sands National Park - Things to Do
01:54 White Sands National Park - Where to Stay
02:00 White Sands National Park - Self Q&A

Where to Stay
Holiday Inn Express Alamogordo
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Fairfield Inn and Suites Alamogordo
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Geology of White Sands

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Long ago, an ancient sea covered most of the southwestern United States. It was during this time that layers of gypsum were deposited on the seafloor. The rise and fall of the sea level millions of years ago started the process of making the gypsum sand that covers the monument today. Many factors, including the latest ice age, had an effect on the formation of this magnificent landscape. The following journey through time shows the gradual transformation from sea to sand, and the amazing factors that allow this dune-field to exist.

White Sands Missle Range

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White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), our next-door neighbor, has had a historical past and an impressive mission for today’s security. The bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II took place on December 7th, 1941. This caused the United States Government to respond. The U.S. military established a permanent presence in the Tularosa Basin during World War II, creating White Sands Proving Grounds, which is now called White Sands Missile Range, as well as the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range, known today as Holloman Air Force Base.

White Sands Missile Range was also one of the key locations of the Manhattan Project, which developed the first atomic bomb during World War II. The testing of the first atomic bomb took place in 1945 at the Trinity site on WSMR, 65 miles north of White Sands National Monument.

After World War II, White Sands Missile Range became home to some German scientists, including Werner Von Braun, who was instrumental in the conception and development of the V-2 rocket. Managed by the U.S. Army, WSMR has supported and continues to support essential defense and space exploration programs for all branches of the military services and NASA, as well as other forms of scientific research.

Commercial Filming

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Towering mountains, spectacular white dunes, crystal blue skies, stunning sunsets, and magical moonlit nights—all of these unique features form the amazing landscape at White Sands National Park. Half a million visitors from all over the world enjoy this beautiful place every year. If you watch TV, it is likely that you have seen White Sands! Hollywood has filmed more than 20 major movies here since 1950. Hundreds of commercials, music videos, TV shows, and documentaries have also been filmed here. Researchers from all over the world come here to investigate the unusual animals and geology here.

History of Filming

Since the early days of film on the silver screen, national parks have been popular destinations for photographers, videographers, and cinematographers. The rolling bright white sand dunes of White Sands National Park have set the scene for westerns, science fiction, and apocalyptic films. They have also provided a spectacular entourage for still photography of dawn and dusk, as well as for commercials featuring Rolls Royce, the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales, Energizer Bunny, and Marlboro Man. Well known directors Steven Spielberg, Transformers, and Harold Ramus,Year One; actors Denzel Washington, Book of Eli,and Willem Defoe, White Sands: The Movie; and music performers Boyz II Men, Water Runs Dry, and Sara Evans, I Could Not Ask for More, have all spent time at White Sands capturing the dunes in their creative work.

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