Howdy
effuryone! Welcome to Nature Friday, where we can meet some new friends
and maybe share a picture or two of what nature looks like around
Blogville. Today, as promised, we are reporting from the White Sands National Park (WSNP)!
Once sitting at the bottom of an ancient sea, the unique gypsum sand dunes have been shaped...and renewed for over 10 thousand years.
(see more about the Geology of WSNP HERE)
At over 275 square miles, WSNP is the largest gypsum dune field in the world!
It also looks very nice surrounding little black doggies!
Along with tan doggies too, Rosy!
Anywho, WSNP was designated a National Monument in 1933 and finally, in 2020, it received its National Park designation!
There are many places to hike, picnic and even try to sled down the sand in the park. We walked along a boardwalk path before enjoying a couple of leisurely hikes in the sand.
We kept looking for an ocean somewhere...but never found one! There is a "sometimes lake" (Lake Lucero) and, you'd never guess, but there is lots of water just underneath the dunes. Because the dunes are at the bottom of a ginormous basin, they collect snow runoff from the surrounding mountains plus, the summer rains replenish the basin. How cool is that?!
Mostly, we just enjoyed all the fresh air and wonderful new sniffing areas!
The air is very dry at WSNP and, when the sun is out, we hear it is VERY hot. We were glad we came in the early Spring and on a mostly cloudy day. We wouldn't advise bringing pups out here in the warmer weather, we bet the sand gets pretty darn hot!
That's about it for our tour of White Sands National Park. Thanks so much for tagging along!
Here is another video Mama put together...make sure you see who won the Great Daddy/Daughter Dune Race of 2024!!
As always, it is also HERE on our YouTube Channel
Thank you for joining us as we explored Alamogordao and White Sands National Park this week. We don't have another formal camping trip until July as Daddy is doing a "big project" for work this year. We did overhear the pawrents saying we'll be going on some "spontaneous" overnight trips...we'll keep you in the loop if we hear anything!
Show us your nature! It can be flowers, your current weather, a scene out of your window, or maybe a picture from a vacation, walk or other journey! Any kind of nature picture will do! If you don't see a link below, click HERE to go to our Hoppity Page.
Oooooh, thank you so much for this wonderful post. Beautiful landscapes, fascinating geology, and nail biting tension in the 2024 Daddy/Daughter Dune Race. Huge congratulations to Rosy, and Happy Nature Friday to all the family.
ReplyDeleteToodle-oo!
Nobby.
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteSeconding Nobby's comment!!! Hugs and wags YAM-aunty xxx
The white sand is almost as white as the snow. It's really pretty and the landscape is just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMom thinks about all the sand in her shoes. On the North Sea Coast in Germany there are lots of sand dunes she used to take her dogs for walk in them. What a pretty place you found and it was nice it seems like you had it all to yourselves.
ReplyDeletewow, this is awesome, I love beaches and this is one big beach, good idea to go when its cool, I am thinking not many visitors in the summer months. I am happy to hear it has been saved from humans building resorts on it.. it is really something to see. loved the dune climbers, I am wondering if it feels like sand, with grains like a beach here. or is is more powderey
ReplyDeleteRosy and Sunny I had no idea about WSNP..not a clue! OMDs this was an amazing Nature Friday post. WEll done on you and Dad climing up the sand dune. You 2 must have very very very good knees. Aunty's would never have made that.
ReplyDeleteStunning post
Hugs Aunty C
Java Bean: "Ayyy, it sure does look like there should be an ocean around there somewhere. Maybe if you dig a little you'll find it?"
ReplyDeleteLulu: "And if not, digging is its own reward!"
It sounds like you all had lots of fun at WSNP. Climbing that dune was pretty tough for your dad but you motored right to the top with no problem, Rosy.
ReplyDeleteGuys that does SOOO look like a snowy environment. I guess the overcast helped the illusion on that day. It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou left pawprints in the sand. That's pretty cool. And speaking of cool, glad the weather was. Guess it's a desert, not a beach, huh? XOX Xena and Chia
ReplyDeleteThat was fun and boy that sure is a lot of sand. Ya done good on the uphill race sweet Rosy!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking us to such a wonderful place, I know you enjoy your trip.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place you all visited ~ great photos of all ~ especially you sweet doggies ~ hugs,
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Wow, what a great place to walk. Phod would want to roll in it and make everything sandy! Lee and Phod
ReplyDeleteWow, that's beautiful! It reminds me of the "sugar sand" on some of the beaches in Florida.
ReplyDelete