White Sands National Park, Catching A Sunset
June 2021
The Collision of Light and Storm at White Sands
After visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, we drove back north through New Mexico’s oil country. Although it added a 50-mile detour to Las Cruces, it was worth it to arrive at White Sands National Park just in time for sunset, the perfect lighting for photography.
On the other hand, the weather felt more dangerous with a dark storm quickly approaching. Looking toward the storm, the sky was a blend of gold, dark purple, and gray, with the gypsum dancing across the surface. At the same time, the sky in the other direction was completely blue. However, the gold light of the sunset, combined with the fierce wind and dark storm, created a unique, surreal, mesmerizing scene that made playing with my camera using these natural phenomena definitely worth the detour.
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We parked at the trailhead for the Dune Life Nature Trail, a short 1-mile loop. The trail felt less treacherous here than the open Alkali Flat. Unlike the Alkali Flat Trail, where we had been entirely alone, we shared the trail with many other visitors, and the dunes were more alive, covered with abundant desert scrub.
On the other hand, the weather felt more threatening with a dark storm quickly approaching. Looking toward the storm, the sky was a blend of gold, dark purple, and gray, with the gypsum sand dancing across the surface. Although I felt the danger of the storm, I didn’t want to miss the chance to capture such a surreal landscape, especially after driving a 50-mile detour. These natural phenomena, with the golden light of the sunset, the fierce wind, and the dark storm, gave me an excellent opportunity to play with my camera to try to capture a mesmerizing shot.
Exploring White Sands National Park
Date
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Distance
~ 1 mi
Moving Time
~ 1 hr
WEATHER
95 °F,
fresh breeze