9 Best Places to Visit Near White Sands National Park
Keep your Alamogordo vacation going at these best places to visit near White Sands National Park!
While White Sands National Park is the main draw near Alamogordo, this beautiful area of central New Mexico has plenty to do elsewhere.
From pistachio farm tours to hiking to learning about a monkey astronaut, these fun places will have your entire family excited to visit Alamogordo and the surrounding area.
Use Alamogordo, NM, as your home base, and dedicate different days to each suggestion.
As with all of our suggestions, these locations are kid-friendly and should appeal to the entire family.
9 Places to Visit near White Sands National Park
After you’ve spent one day in White Sands National Park, stick around to explore Alamogordo, Las Cruces, and beyond.
Below, you’ll find some incredible museums, hikes, and tours that will make this New Mexico vacation one to remember!
Pistachioland
In front of the World’s Biggest Pistachio at Pistachioland
Here, you’ll learn about everything you never wanted to know about pistachios—and then some!
Located just north of Alamogordo (and about a 20 minute drive away from White Sands National Park), this working farm is a great way to learn about New Mexico agriculture.
Arrive first thing in the morning and jump on the first tour of the day. You’re more likely to get a private or semi-private tour this way.
The tours are done in small electric carts, which allows visitors to get into the fields. The guides are personable and full of fun facts about this fascinating little nut.
My kids and I were amazed to learn that the pistachio shell turns bright pink when the nuts are ready to be harvested!
To see that phenomenon, plan to visit just before harvesting in late July or early August.
The farm also has a small vineyard which you’ll see on the tour.
If you’d like to taste the wine produced at Pistachioland, check out the wine bar in the store.
The Camping Kiddos with the world’s best pistachio ice cream!
The store here is worth the visit alone.
You can get a cup of homemade pistachio ice cream at the snack counter outside. This is a must do!
There is a free tasting station of the most popular pistachio flavors including salted, Ranch, and cinnamon sugar.
We loved the Ranch pistachios and took home a few bags as souvenirs.
There are also SO many other pistachio related snacks like pistachio brittle, chocolate covered pistachios, and spicy pistachios.
If you want something other than pistachios, you can also grab t-shirts, kids toys, local jams, postcards, and kitchen accessories.
Don’t forget to take a photo with the World’s Largest Pistachio out front. You can’t miss it!
New Mexico Museum of Space History
Dress up time at the New Mexico Museum of Space History
Did you know that New Mexico has incredible ties to the U.S. space program?
From the Roswell incident of 1947 to the first atomic bomb testing, this state has played an important role in our understanding of the universe.
At the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, visitors can learn about the Space Race, the astronauts that made our accomplishments possible, and the science behind space exploration.
This site is particularly great for families with younger kids as there are many hands-on exhibits—and a dress-up area on the bottom floor!
My kids particularly enjoyed learning about Ham the Monkey, who was a crucial part of the early research in the Space Race.
You can watch a video about Ham’s journey from archival footage, see his tiny space suit, and visit Ham’s grave outside of the building.
Other notable exhibits explore the physics behind rocket launches, the day-to-day life of astronauts, and the contributions of nearby Holloman Air Force Base to the Space Race.
Before you leave, check out the Daisy Track in the museum’s out building to see how astronauts and Air Force staff experimented with the effects of G-forces on the human body.
The IMAX movie and the planetarium are separate add-on charges, but are a great way to round out your day at the New Mexico Museum of Space History.
PIN ME!
Indian Wells Canyon Trail
Just outside of the New Mexico Museum of Space History is an easy trail offering incredible views of Alamogordo, White Sands Missile Range, and beyond.
The 1.2 mile out-and-back trail begins in the upper parking lot of the museum and gently wanders into the Sacramento Mountain foothills.
On a clear day, you’ll be able to see the rolling sand dunes of White Sands National Park and the San Andres Mountains beyond.
Keep in mind that this trail has little shade, so be prepared with sunscreen, hat, and plenty of water.
If you’re new to hiking, check out our comprehensive guide to hiking for beginners on a budget.
The area is also home to lizards and rattlesnakes, though they tend not to show up in the heat of the day. Keep an eye out, regardless!
Trinity Site
Trinity Site Marker | photo by Terry Robinson
Go the place where atomic history began by visiting the Trinity Site on the White Sands Missile Range.
Access to this site is highly restricted, but public tours are available 2 times a year, once in April and once in October.
[Find the upcoming Trinity Site open house dates here.]
If you plan your visit to align with one of the tours, you’ll make your way about 60 miles north of White Sands National Park to the northern end of the White Sands Missile Range.
The entrance to the Trinity Site is near Oscuro, NM, and not far from the Three Rivers Petroglyph site (see below).
Here, you’ll be able to see the exact spot that the bomb was detonated as well as the McDonald Ranch House where the scientists and personnel were housed during the project’s duration.
Read more about the history of the Trinity Site here.
To get a full picture of what happened here, I’d suggest combining this tour with one at the White Sands Missile Range Museum (see below).
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site
Three Rivers Petroglyph site | Photo by Bureau of Land Management
Explore the ancient history of New Mexico when you visit this remote, but beautiful site between Tularosa, NM, and Carrizozo, NM.
Start your visit at the clearly marked visitors center on Highway 54, where you can learn about the native peoples who lived here more than a thousand years ago.
The rangers are also happy to provide maps and directions.
Most of the more than 20,000 petroglyphs can be seen from the loop trail on the property, which is mostly flat and well marked.
The site also has a campground, one of the best New Mexico campgrounds, in our opinion, thanks to its stargazing and relative location to the petroglyphs.
Use this area as a great base to explore Trinity Site, Alamogordo, the Carrizozo Lava Flow, or the Valley of Fires State Park.
White Sands Missile Range Museum
While the New Mexico Museum of Space History looks at the state’s contributions to space exploration, the White Sands Missile Range Museum presents the equipment and story behind this base’s specific role.
New Mexico Missile Range Museum | photo by Patrick Kinney
As noted above, the White Sands Missile Range was the site of the first testing detonation of an atomic bomb (north at the Trinity Site), but it is still an active missile testing facility.
Kids and aircraft buffs will love exploring the many rockets and missiles out front, while the museum provides a deep dive into the area’s ties to the Manhattan Project, Space Race, and Bataan Death March.
The museum is on an active air force base, so you’ll need to plan ahead to visit.
You’ll want to drive up to the gates off of Highway 70 as if you’re entering the base. Here, tell the attendant that you’d like to visit the museum and present your photo ID and social security number.
Once your identity has been verified, the attendant will show you where to park outside of the gate, and you can walk to the museum just inside of the base gate.
Indian Hollow Trail at Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
Indian Hollow Trail | photo by The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company
Located west of White Sands National Park, the Indian Hollow Trailhead provides access to the Organ Mountains and to incredible views of the San Andres Mountains and White Sands.
Find the trailhead in the parking lot of Aguirre Springs group campground near the fence.
Hint: look for the warning sign near the fence—the trailhead is just behind here.
From there, you’ll follow the 5 mile out-and-back trail which can be challenging at times for less experienced hikers.
However, the views of the mountains are beautiful, and you’ll get to explore several streams.
I wouldn’t take younger kids on this trail as there is some rock scrambling and up-and-down sections, but older and/or experienced kids should be fine.
As with any hike in New Mexico, take plenty of water. The dry, hot climate will have you dehydrated before you feel it.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument is just one of the many incredible NPS sites on our New Mexico National Parks Road Trip itinerary!
Fillmore Falls Hike in Dripping Springs Natural Area
Given that you’re in the desert, you might not expect to find a waterfall hike near White Sands National Park!
Fillmore Falls is a great family hike that leads to a refreshing waterfall.
[Note: go just after a rainstorm for the best chance at a robust waterfall. During the drier months, Fillmore Falls can be more of a substantial trickle than a waterfall.]
The trail is just over 2 miles (out and back), and you’ll find many others on it during the spring and fall. Go early to get a parking spot and have a few minutes at the falls alone.
Use the La Cueva Trailhead, and follow the trail until it splits. There’s a clear sign pointing you to the left and to Fillmore Falls.
The trailhead is near the Dripping Springs Visitors Center within the Organ Mountains National Monument—look for the sign, or ask a ranger.
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum
Blacksmith shop at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum | photo by Richard
Spend any amount of time of New Mexico, and you’ll see the vast number of farms in the state.
Learn more about the history and challenges of the farming industry in the Land of Enchantment at this Las Cruces museum.
You’ll see how the earliest colonists worked with the lands, and how Wild West icons like Billy the Kid made a living on cattle and sheep farms.
The dairy section explores the more recent addition of dairy farms to the New Mexico farm scene, and it has several interactive exhibits to keep kids interested.
There’s also a petting zoo on site, where kids can visit with native sheep and goats!
Explore even more of the Land of Enchantment with a Santa Fe to White Sands road trip!
