All parks › White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle, 7 days
- $25[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- March[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 659,742[3]
- Campgrounds
- 1[4]
White Sands National Park is a National Park System unit in New Mexico[5]. NPS lists a $25 private vehicle entrance fee[1] and says the gates open at 7:00 am[6].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
| Fee or pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Vehicle[1] | $25 |
| Per Person[7] | $15 |
| Motorcycle[8] | $20 |
| Annual Entrance - Park[9] | $45 |
The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[10].
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[11] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[11] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[11] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[11] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[11] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[11] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[11] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[11] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[11] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS says the park gates open at 7:00 am, and closing time follows sunset[6]. Closing time is 30 minutes past local sunset[6]. NPS lists summer hours from 2027-05-22 to 2027-09-07[6]. It also lists exceptions for Thanksgiving Day 2026-11-26 and Christmas Day 2026-12-25[6]. For weather, NPS says summer can get very hot, winter is mild with cooler evenings, and spring is the windy season[12]. NPS describes fall as mild by day and night[12]. In 2025 the busiest month was March with 91,656 recreation visits[2]. The quietest month was October with 22,389[2].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 40,809 |
| February | 43,146 |
| March | 91,656 |
| April | 66,951 |
| May | 69,126 |
| June | 62,133 |
| July | 70,086 |
| August | 49,344 |
| September | 39,255 |
| October | 22,389 |
| November | 46,486 |
| December | 58,361 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground here, Backcountry Camping with 10 sites[4]. NPS also lists a small nightly fee for individual sites[4]. Check the official page for current rules before you plan.
- Backcountry Camping, 10 sites[4]
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, where pets are allowed they must stay in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less[13]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, with service animals excepted[13]. NPS marks pets as permitted on several listed activities, including the Interdune Boardwalk and Alkali Flat Trail hikes[14]. Each park can close more areas to pets, so check with the park[13].
Before you go
- The Private Vehicle entrance fee is $25 and NPS says it is valid for reentry for seven consecutive days[1].
- The Per Person fee is $15 for people who walk or bike in[7].
- The park accepts the America the Beautiful pass[10]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80[11].
- NPS lists the Annual Entrance - Park pass at $45[9].
- Fees and hours change, so confirm on the official NPS page before you go[6].
Questions people ask
- How much is the White Sands National Park entrance fee?
- NPS lists $25 for a private vehicle, $20 for a motorcycle and $15 per person for visitors who walk or bike in[1][7][8].
- What time does White Sands National Park open?
- NPS says the gates open at 7:00 am and it closes 30 minutes past local sunset[6].
- Can I use an America the Beautiful pass at White Sands?
- Yes, NPS lists the park as accepting the America the Beautiful pass for entrance[10]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80[11].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $25. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 782,469, 2022: 705,127, 2023: 729,096, 2024: 702,236, 2025: 659,742. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in White Sands National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
- White Sands National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in New Mexico. National Park Service
- Operating hours, Standard Park Hours: The park gates always open at 7:00 am with closing hours changing with sunset. The park closes 30 minutes after local sunset. Local sunset is 8 minutes earlier than Alamogordo's predicted sunset. Sunset times can be... National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Per Person: $15. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $20. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $45. National Park Service
- White Sands National Park accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- NPS weather and seasons overview for White Sands National Park. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 8 things to do at White Sands National Park: Sledding at the Roadrunner Picnic Area, Hiking the Ice Age Trail, Hiking Interdune Boardwalk, Hiking Alkali Flat Trail, Hiking Dune Life Nature Trail, Hiking Backcountry Camping Trail, Sledding at the... National Park Service