White Sands, NM Area for Photography
Jan 13, 2020 07:36:58 #
Jan 13, 2020 07:51:33 #
bbrown5154
Loc: Baltimore, MD
CHG_CANON wrote:
My favorite part is the circuit trail at the end of the drive through the park, the Alkali Flat Trail. The further you get away from the parking lot, the more likely you can find dunes with no footprints.
White Sands National Monument by Paul Sager, on Flickr
White Sands National Monument by Paul Sager, on Flickr
Jan 13, 2020 07:51:51 #
Jan 13, 2020 08:05:44 #
Love White Sands, so happy that they just made it a National Park, not just a monument.
I too loved the Alkali Flats Trail - but it's almost 5 miles and definitely not flat, so judge accordingly. The fine "sand" was more difficult to walk in than anticipated - and we love to hike. But it was well worth the effort.
The Dunes Nature Trail close to the front offers an elevated boardwalk - I don't typically like such trails but the advantage is that most people stay on the boardwalk and the sand isn't trampled with footprints. The picnic areas are unique, take a picnic and enjoy one of the individual picnic shelters. :)
Definitely get a sled & try sledding the hills. The sand is cool and not hot - sledding was SO much fun! We bought a sled at the visitor center and took it home to our grandkids.
ENJOY!
I too loved the Alkali Flats Trail - but it's almost 5 miles and definitely not flat, so judge accordingly. The fine "sand" was more difficult to walk in than anticipated - and we love to hike. But it was well worth the effort.
The Dunes Nature Trail close to the front offers an elevated boardwalk - I don't typically like such trails but the advantage is that most people stay on the boardwalk and the sand isn't trampled with footprints. The picnic areas are unique, take a picnic and enjoy one of the individual picnic shelters. :)
Definitely get a sled & try sledding the hills. The sand is cool and not hot - sledding was SO much fun! We bought a sled at the visitor center and took it home to our grandkids.
ENJOY!
Jan 13, 2020 09:28:27 #
JFCoupe wrote:
In a couple of weeks I will have about 2.5 days in the Almagordo, NM area. I will do at least one morning and one evening shoot at White Sands NP.
Does anyone have suggestions for areas at White Sands to plan to get to, or does it make a lot of difference what area you shoot in?
Also, are there other areas of interest for photography in the Almagordo area?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Does anyone have suggestions for areas at White Sands to plan to get to, or does it make a lot of difference what area you shoot in?
Also, are there other areas of interest for photography in the Almagordo area?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi. White Sands is awesome. Like others, sunrise and sunset is best for capturing the dunes. They offer Sunset Tours where a Volunteer will guide you and talk about plant, animal life and water table, etc. then leave you to wander around just before the sun sets. Also, if you enjoy action shots, there will be tourists sledding down the dunes on colorful round discs.
MY suggestions for other places nearby would be Three Rivers Petroglyphs, Valley of Fire lava flows, hiking either the Reparian Trail or the Dog Canyon Trail at Oliver Lee State Park. Both of those hikes have unique features to offer but can be a bit strenuous for some. I am currently Camp Hosting at Oliver Lee and leading 2 tours to his 1889 Ranch House on the weekends. Look me up if ya stop in.
For some awesome rocky mountain formations try Aquierre Springs Campground (butchered the spelling) just before Las Cruces.
Of course, you can also wander the smaller villages for more close up, intimate photo ops. AND... the mountains offer possible wildlife photo ops. Shoot...even the desert does. I found a bunch of Oryx last year driving a little known desert to mountains to desert loop!
Enjoy, it's beautiful here!
Bud
Jan 13, 2020 09:45:11 #
Jan 13, 2020 09:56:57 #
Jan 13, 2020 10:10:19 #
Just to clarify the distances of some of the places mentioned (all of which I routinely visit and shoot - you can see shots on my website)...
VLA is about 3 hours away.
Carlsbad Caverns is the same, but eastward rather than northward
Los Alamos is at least 4 hours north
If those are too distant given your time frame, the suggestions about Cloudcroft (16 miles up state road 82) and Aguirre Springs (about 50 miles to the west on route 70, which crosses White Sands Missile Range) are good. For that matter, the missile range has a museum that is small but interesting (though the outdoor exhibits have been let to go shabby). For that matter, the space museum in Alamogordo is surprisingly interesting - though perhaps not particularly photogenic.
North of Alamo is a town called Carrizozo, wherein there is a supposedly good museum of photography - though I haven't yet gone. However, if you plan to hit the Valley of Fire that was suggested, you will be taking the 380 right through Carrizozo so it might be worth a stop.
VLA is about 3 hours away.
Carlsbad Caverns is the same, but eastward rather than northward
Los Alamos is at least 4 hours north
If those are too distant given your time frame, the suggestions about Cloudcroft (16 miles up state road 82) and Aguirre Springs (about 50 miles to the west on route 70, which crosses White Sands Missile Range) are good. For that matter, the missile range has a museum that is small but interesting (though the outdoor exhibits have been let to go shabby). For that matter, the space museum in Alamogordo is surprisingly interesting - though perhaps not particularly photogenic.
North of Alamo is a town called Carrizozo, wherein there is a supposedly good museum of photography - though I haven't yet gone. However, if you plan to hit the Valley of Fire that was suggested, you will be taking the 380 right through Carrizozo so it might be worth a stop.
Jan 13, 2020 10:29:45 #
Jan 13, 2020 11:03:04 #
JFCoupe wrote:
In a couple of weeks I will have about 2.5 days in the Almagordo, NM area. I will do at least one morning and one evening shoot at White Sands NP.
Does anyone have suggestions for areas at White Sands to plan to get to, or does it make a lot of difference what area you shoot in?
Also, are there other areas of interest for photography in the Almagordo area?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Does anyone have suggestions for areas at White Sands to plan to get to, or does it make a lot of difference what area you shoot in?
Also, are there other areas of interest for photography in the Almagordo area?
Thanks for any suggestions.
When you go through the entrance there will only be one long road. It goes out to a loop and circles back. There are several parking areas along the road. You'll simply have to drive the road and see which area entices you for a photo.
Jan 13, 2020 12:37:30 #
Sidwalkastronomy
Loc: New Jersey Shore
With all the white sand you might be fooled so might have to open exposure to get better exposed subjects
Jan 13, 2020 12:37:33 #
Sidwalkastronomy
Loc: New Jersey Shore
With all the white sand you might be fooled so might have to open exposure to get better exposed subjects
Jan 13, 2020 12:55:06 #
JFCoupe
Loc: Kent, Washington
Thank you everyone for all the suggestions for White Sands and other areas of interest.
Jan 13, 2020 12:59:28 #
scallihan
Loc: Tigard, OR
My husband and I took the last tour of the day of the Carlsbad Caverns Kings Palace, John bringing up the rear with his tripod. It was a great tour, and at the end, we hung back to ask the ranger a couple of questions. The ranger then invited us to accompany him on his return trip to be sure everyone was out and turning off lights as we went. Taking the tour in reverse is a whole nother experience. John got some great shots he would not otherwise have gotten.
Jan 13, 2020 15:18:45 #
Scout505
Loc: Dallas/ Fort Worth Texas
I second going to Cloudcroft...Alamagordo and White Sands are about 3500ft above sea level while Cloudcroft is above 9000ft. Great views looking back down on White Sands. Also "The Lodge" is a turn of the century hotel built for people escaping the summer heat which was serviced by a narrow guage railroad from Alamagordo.
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