PHOTO | Natural wonder: The world's largest white sand desert where you can also camp
"White Sands" ("White Sands") is the youngest National Park in the United States of America. This former state natural monument in the state of New Mexico became a national park a few years ago A full suitcase.
It is a true wonder of nature that spans 589,9 square kilometers in Otero County. It is dominated by sand dunes, i.e. accumulated gypsum crystals that give it a sparkling white color, and which in some parts rise up to 18 meters in height.
The dunes are thought to have formed 7.000 to 10.000 years ago from eroded selenite. Although White Sands is considered the largest field of gypsum crystals in the world, this site is not under the protection of UNESCO.
Local residents are reluctant to nominate it for the World Heritage List because they fear they would have to close the nearby military missile testing area, the White Sands Missile Range, which has been open since 1945.
Today, the national park is home to around 600 invertebrates, 250 bird species, 50 mammals and 30 reptiles, as well as 300 plant species. Every year, it is visited by about 600.000 people who usually spend the night in tents at a designated camping site.