White Sands National Park, USA - unreal hiking through the breathtaking white dunes of New Mexico скачать в хорошем качестве

White Sands National Park, USA - unreal hiking through the breathtaking white dunes of New Mexico

We visit White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico, USA. White Sands is famous for its huge dunes of white gypsum, which form a surreal and breathtaking landscape. We drive through the national park on Dunes Drive, a scenic road. We get even closer to the glistening white gypsum desert by hiking the Dune Life Nature Trail and the Alkali Flat Trail. And the sunset over the white sea of dunes is breathtaking! White Sands National Park protects the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The formation of the dunes began millions of years ago. The gypsum that makes up the fine sand comes from the nearby San Andres Mountains. Rainwater dissolved the gypsum from the rock and transported it to the Tularosa Basin. Because the water in this basin could not drain away, it evaporated, leaving behind gypsum deposits. Wind and weather fractured these deposits into tiny crystals that formed the dunes we see today. This process continues to this day, causing the landscape to constantly change. We drive along Dunes Drive into the national park. The 13-kilometer-long (8 mi) scenic road is paved at the beginning, later driving on compact gypsum sand. But to truly experience White Sands, you have to get out of the car! We get our first impressions on the 1,6-kilometer-long (1 mi) Dune Life Nature Trail. The circular trail leads us into a desert scrub landscape at the edge of the dunes. Although White Sands appears completely inhospitable at first glance, a remarkable variety of plants and animals live here. Plants such as the skunkbush sumac have developed long root systems to reach the groundwater beneath the dry sand. Some animals have developed bright coloring to camouflage themselves in the dunes and protect themselves from predators. We can observe this very well in the case of a lizard. After the short hike, we take a lunch break at one of the park's three picnic areas. The metal sunshade against the dazzling white landscape looks like something out of a science fiction movie. We then hike the Alkali Flat Trail into the heart of White Sands. This 8 km (5 mi) loop is significantly more challenging than the Dune Life Nature Trail. It begins at the end of Dunes Drive. Red markers guide us through the dunes; sometimes you have to look closely, as the dunes are constantly changing. The Alkali Flat Trail is anything but flat, as it goes over a series of dunes and valleys, which are very strenuous to climb in the loose sand. But the effort is worth it! The experience of vastness, peace, and solitude in this fascinating natural wonder is incomparably beautiful. After about 3,2 km (2 mi), we reach Alkali Flat, a vast, flat plain and the relic of a dried-up lake. Beyond it begins the restricted area of ​​the White Sands Missile Range, the largest military area in the USA, covering 8300 square kilometers (3200 sq mi). World history was made in this area on July 16, 1945, when the first atomic bomb was detonated as part of the Manhattan Project. Our hiking trail crosses the Alkali Flat and then leads back into the dunes before reaching the starting point. The hike on the Alkali Flat Trail was a highlight of our trip to the USA. We were completely alone in a unique landscape and felt like we were in another world! Tips for the hike: The best time of year is spring or fall, when temperatures are milder. In summer, it can get unbearably hot. Hats, sunscreen, and water are necessary. And be sure to bring your sunglasses! The white sand reflects the sun like snow. Without sunglasses, you risk snow blindness, as we learned the hard way. After the hike, we enjoy a wonderful sunset over the sea of ​​dunes. We're staying in New Mexico! We'll be hiking in Lincoln National Forest soon. Please turn on the subtitles for the video! You can find the GPS track for the Alkali Flat Trail here: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/213... If you enjoyed it, please like and subscribe to the channel so you don't miss anything. You can find the complete channel playlist about our stay in the USA here:    • USA Roadtrip   Visit in April 2024 Chapter: 00:00 Intro 00:45 Drive to White Sands National Park 01:41 Dune Life Nature Trail 04:46 Rest Area in the Park 05:51 Alkali Flat Trail 14:37 Sunset 16:44 Outro