Eating & Sleeping

Grab and Go Food in gift shop
Food and drink offerings at the White Sands Trading gift shop.

NPS Photo

Planning where you are going to sleep and what you are going to eat are two important steps in trip planning. In the park, both eating and sleeping options are limited, but the surrounding communities offer a variety of lodging and restaurant options.

Eating & Sleeping

Everyone wants good food and a great night's rest while on vacation! The White Sands Trading Company gift shop has a selection of convenient, ready-to-eat food options including packaged sandwiches, bottled drinks, salty snacks, and sweet treats. The nearby towns of Alamogordo and Las Cruces have a large variety of restaurants as well.

Looking for a place to stay? There are plenty of options in nearby Alamogordo, 13 miles (24 km) from the park and Las Cruces, 50 miles (84 km) from the park. The following can help you locate a hotel or campground that fits your needs:

 
orange camping tent on dunes next to green stake in the ground. Backpacking bag on the ground in front.
Backcountry camping at White Sands.

NPS Photo, Rebecca Burghart

Area Camping

Backcountry camping is currently closed due to rehabilitation of camping sites. No date has been determined for its reopening.

There is no way to stay overnight in the park at this time.

White Sands doesn't offer hotel accommodations or RV/car camping within the park, but there are several campgrounds in the general vicinity of the park, including federal, state, and private options. Learn more below:

State Parks

Campground Phone Number Miles from White Sands
Oliver Lee Memorial (575) 437-8284 24
Leasburg Dam (575) 524-4068 69
Percha Dam (575) 743-3942 108
Caballo Lake (575) 743-3942 113
Rockhound (575) 546-6182 127
Elephant Butte (575) 744-5421 136
City of Rocks (575) 536-2800 141

Lincoln National Forest District (575) 434-7200

Campground Phone Number Miles from White Sands
Pines Campground (575) 682-2551 35
Silver, Saddle, Apache (575) 682-2551 35
Silver Overflow (575) 682-2551 35
Deerhead (575) 682-2551 37
Sleepy Grass (575) 682-2551 37
James Canyon (575) 682-2551 47
Skyline (575) 257-4095 69
Oak Grove (575) 257-4095 65
Three Rivers (575) 257-4095 60

Bureau of Land Management

Campground Phone Number Miles from White Sands
Aguirre Springs (575) 525-4300 39
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site (575) 525-4300 49
Valley of Fires Recreation Area (575) 648-2241 76

Private

For those looking for camping areas with more ammenities, there are a variety of private campgrounds near the park. For more information, visit the local Chambers of Commerce:

Last updated: February 1, 2025

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 1086
Holloman AFB, NM 88330

Phone:

575 479-6124

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