Best time to visit White Sands National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit White Sands National Park: February–April and October–November. Daily highs run about 60–75°F, with about 65% of March's visitors.
Hardest months: June–July, mostly because of heat.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
White Sands National Park month by month
Park-wide averages. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Snow | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Fair | 54° / 32°F | 0.5 in | 0.7 in | Moderate | – |
| February | Best | 61° / 36°F | 0.3 in | 0.5 in | Moderate | – |
| March | Best | 69° / 43°F | 0.4 in | – | Peak | – |
| April | Best | 77° / 51°F | 0.2 in | – | Busy | – |
| May | Good | 85° / 59°F | 0.3 in | – | Busy | – |
| June | Poor | 94° / 69°F | 0.5 in | – | Busy | – |
| July | Poor | 95° / 73°F | 0.6 in | – | Busy | – |
| August | Fair | 91° / 70°F | 1.4 in | – | Moderate | – |
| September | Good | 86° / 64°F | 1.2 in | – | Moderate | – |
| October | Best | 75° / 53°F | 1.2 in | – | Busy | – |
| November | Best | 63° / 40°F | 0.7 in | – | Moderate | – |
| December | Fair | 55° / 34°F | 0.5 in | – | Moderate | – |
White Sands National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a good time to visit White Sands National Park. Daily highs average 69–85°F and lows 43–59°F. Expect about 0.3 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 70–100% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a difficult time to visit White Sands National Park. Daily highs average 91–95°F and lows 69–73°F. Expect about 0.9 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 45–65% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is among the best times to visit White Sands National Park. Daily highs average 63–86°F and lows 40–64°F. Expect about 1.0 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 48–60% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a mixed time to visit White Sands National Park. Daily highs average 54–61°F and lows 32–36°F. Expect about 0.4 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 41–57% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Temperatures at White Sands vary greatly throughout the year. Summer time temperatures can be very hot. Winters are mild with cool evenings. Spring time is the windy season. Fall is very enjoyable with mild daytime and night time temperatures.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 1 location. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
