Sand Sledding at Roadrunner and Alkali Flat

Gypsum sand is not slippery like snow, so a ride takes some practice. Waxed plastic snow saucers work best, and you can rent or buy one at the gift shop or bring your own.

The Roadrunner Picnic Area is an easy place to sled, since dunes rise right out of the parking lot. Covered picnic areas and two vault toilets add shade and facilities, and the lot has plenty of room for groups and recreational vehicles. Yucca and Primrose picnic areas are also off Dunes Drive, and the three together have 62 shaded tables.

The Alkali Flat Trailhead sits at the end of the eight-mile Dunes Drive, and tall dunes line its parking lot. For more privacy, climb a short way into the dunes to find untouched sand. The lot has one vault toilet and no shade, and its dunes are steeper, so this spot is not recommended for young children.

Choose a dune with a gentle face and a level run-out, and watch where the slope meets the desert floor, since the sand there can be hard. Sit or lie on the sled rather than standing, and keep clear of plants and clumps of hard sand. Bring about a gallon of water per person and sun protection, since the Visitor Center is the only place in the park with water.

The Alkali Flat Trail suits those who want to go deeper into the dunes. It is a strenuous five-mile round trip marked with red diamond trail markers, and it reaches the edge of the Alkali Flat, the dry lakebed of Lake Otero. Despite its name, the trail is not flat, and it takes about three hours.