White Sands NM, NM

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of the world’s largest gypsum dunes fields along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this harsh environment.
The gypsum that forms the white sands was deposited at the bottom of a shallow sea covering this area millions of years ago. This formed gypsum rock and with the uplifts became mountains. Gypsum is soluble in water and normally the rivers would carry it out to sea but the Tularosa Basin, where the white sands are located, do not have any rivers running out. The summer rains and the winter snows bring the gypsum down from the mountains and when the water evaporates it is trapped in the basin. The Southwest winds then move the sands and then forming the dunes. The fine gypsum particles are not rough at all and feel more like talcum power. This is quite the recreation area for the locals as the children have a great time sliding down the dunes.