About
Length (round trip)0.5 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain10 ft up
Typical time15 min
TrailheadDunes Drive, mile 1
SurfaceFirm flat sand
Best seasonOctober to April. Summer surface temperatures on the dunes are brutal and heat rescues are common. Check the missile range closure schedule before every visit.
DogsLeashed / limited stretches
What you'll see 🌄 Big views🦌 Wildlife

The Playa Trail is an easy, 0.5 mile (800m) round-trip, level trail with outdoor exhibits along the way to help you learn and explore this trail and the characteristics that make it special. Follow the green trail markers with a heart symbol that lead to a small playa. On this self-guided trail, you will discover the importance of a playa undergoing constant change. Learn how this change creates habitats for plants and animals. It may be brown, white, filled with water, or have growing crystals. See what the playa looks like today! At the end of the trail, you have the opportunity to travel back in time and see what this area looked like 10,000 years ago and learn about the giants that once roamed this land. Please stay on the trail. Footprints destroy the biological soil crust that is vital to White Sands. The average completion time is 30 minutes. Length: 0.5 mile (800m), round-trip Trail Marker Color: Green Trail Marker Symbol: Heart Average Completion Time: 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy Distance from Visitor Center: 2.5 miles (4 km) Restroom: No restroom facility is available Before setting out on foot at White Sands National Park, please view our Hiking Safety Tips.

Tips
The shortest trail in the park. After a good rain the playa fills and reflects the dunes, which is a rare sight worth chasing.
Location

Dunes Drive, mile 1

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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