About
Length (round trip)2 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain150 ft up
Typical time1 hr
TrailheadDunes Drive, mile 6
SurfaceDeep sand marked by orange posts
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
PermitRequired
What you'll see 🌄 Big views

The Backcountry Camping Loop Trail is a moderate, 2-mile (3.5 km) roundtrip hike. Though backpackers hike the trail most frequently, it is also open to visitors who want a shorter hike through the heart of the dunes. Follow the orange trail markers with a spade symbol into an area of beautifully varied dunes and vegetation. The trail requires hikers to climb over several steep dunes and loose sand. There is no shade, no water, and no toilet facility along this trail. The average completion time is 1.5 hours. Length: 2 miles (3.5 km), round-trip Trail Marker Color: Orange Trail Marker Symbol: Spade Average Completion Time: 1.5 hours Difficulty: Moderate Distance from Visitor Center: 6 miles (9.7 km) Restroom : Two vault toilets at the trailhead Before setting out on foot at White Sands National Park, please view our Hiking Safety Tips .

Tips
Permits must be reserved in advance and the sites have no water, no toilets and no fires. Camping in the dunes under a new moon is one of the great night skies in North America - but the sites close whenever the missile range does.
Location

Dunes Drive, mile 6

Other Hikers
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