Oasis - White Sands National Park #4
by Stephen Stookey
Title
Oasis - White Sands National Park #4
Artist
Stephen Stookey
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
White Sands National Park (WSNP) contains the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The sugar-white sand spreads across 275 square miles. The glistening white sand set against the brilliant azure blue New Mexico sky create a stunning visual palette. Desert brush and cactus punctuate the dunes. Wind shifts and shapes the dunes, creating nature's own zen garden.
White Sands National Monument was established in January of 1933, following several failed attempts to gain National Park status. The site gained National Park status in December of 2019. WSNP contains fossilized human and ground sloth tracks, dating human existence in the area to 10,000+ years ago. Spanish explorers and miners worked the arid desert region for salt, gypsum, and other natural resources. The US Army first explored the region in 1849. The late 1800s and early 1900s brought ranchers and cattle to the grasslands of the Tularosa Basin. The famed Lucero Ranch once sat along the western shore of Lucero Lake within the park's back country. The dunes sit atop a massive underground lake, providing access to much needed water in the arid desert valley.
In the aftermath of Pear Harbor the U.S. Military recognized the value of the basin for scientific research and technology testing. White Sands Proving Grounds (today, White Sands Missile Range - WSMR) was established in 1945. The US detonated its first atomic bomb at the Trinity Site just seven days after the creation of the proving grounds. WSMR surrounds the National Monument, with Holloman Air Force Base, adjacent to WSNM. Regular testing does impact visitation during, closing US HWY 70 and portions of the monument's back country for short periods of time.
The park is a popular spot for desert hiking, wildlife viewing, dune sledding, and photography.
Uploaded
May 11th, 2020
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