Have you ever seen something and your eyes go, “oh, I know what that is!” but your brain is like, “I don’t think that’s what you think it is . . .”?
That’s how it felt when I went to White Sands National Park.
Growing up in Minnesota snow is a part of life. It’s ‘the white stuff.’ If there are hills covered in white, it’s snow, right? My eyes were convinced. I mean, people were sledding down the hills. That only happens on a snow hill!
I thought I’d seen white sand before. Clearwater Beach, Florida has beautiful white sand beaches. That was nothing compared to the stark white color of the sands I saw before me as a drove along the unpaved road the winds through the park. It reminded me of what my backyard looked like after a fresh dumping of snow.
Pulling off, I approached one of the hills, a bit uncertain how attempting to climb it would go. Watching families having so much fun sliding down the slopes, I wished I’d brought a sled (but who thinks of doing that when they’re trying to not be in cold weather!). Ascending to the top was about as easy as any sand hill, except it was colder, even on the top layer (thermodynamics at its best!). Once I reached the top, I looked out and my brain and eyes had another tussle. I knew that the sand beyond wasn’t flat but rolled towards the distant mountains, but my eyes pointed out a lack of shadows – it was flat white. The thought of hiking through that was terrifying! Distance had no real meaning, even with the colored trail markers stuck at intervals that could be seen easily from one to the next.
Near the entrance of the park the dunes had a smattering of plants, so I did end up going for a hike on the animal discovery trail. It was reassuring to have trees and brush as visual markers in addition to the trail markers.
White Sands National Park is like nothing I’ve ever seen, yet I’ve barely left Texas! I wonder what other amazing sights are in store for me?
Yup. White sand. Snow. Just be glad that you did not encounter a sand storm!