National Park White Sands
The White Sands National Monument is a natural monument in New Mexico, located 25 km southwest of the city of Alamogordo, in the western part of Otero County and the north-eastern part of Don Ana County. White Sands are located at an altitude of 1291 m above sea level, in the mountain-circulated valley of Tularosa. Park area - about 710 km2, it is a field of white sand dunes, consisting of the smallest gypsum crystals.
The idea of creating the White Sands National Park appeared at least in 1898, when a group of enthusiasts from El Paso proposed the creation of the Meskalero National Park. They did not succeed, as they hoped that the park would serve to preserve hunting grounds, which was contrary to the policy of preserving natural resources pursued by the Department of the Interior. In 1921-1922, Albert Bacon Fall, United States Secretary of the Interior and the owner of a large ranch near the White Sands, put forward the idea of a national park, which, unlike most northern parks, will be available to visitors all year round. This undertaking also faced a number of difficulties and ended in nothing. However, Tom Charles, an insurance agent from Alamogordo, inspired by Fall's offer, was able to gather sufficient public support to create the park, resting on the economic benefits of the enterprise. On January 18, 1933, President Herbert Hoover signed documents on the foundation of the White Sands National Natural Monument. The grand opening of the park took place on April 29, 1934, and Tom Charles became the first keeper of the monument.
Hyps is rarely found in the form of sand, because it is easily soluble in water. As a rule, rains wash gypsum and take it to the sea on water flows. The Tularosa Valley is landlocked, and gypsum, which rains from the nearby mountains of San Andres and Sacramento, is trapped in the pool. Subsequently, the moisture dries, and the gypsum in the form of fine sand, called selenite, remains on the surface. Hundreds of millions of years ago, this place was located the ancient sea, which dried up, leaving Lake Otero. When the lake dried up thousands of years ago, it left a vast territory covered with selenite. Under the influence of the winds, huge white dunes constantly change the relief, creating the impression of an alien surface. Unlike ordinary quartz sand, gypsum sand does not heat up even in the hottest summer months, and you can walk barefoot without fear.
Due to its uniqueness, this area has overgrown with legends and legends over many years. In particular, there are rumors that it is here that UFOs land, and over the past half century, eyewitnesses have repeatedly noticed strange flying objects over the White Sands. It is also believed that the territory of the snow-white desert was chosen by the Indians of southwestern and northern Mexico, and came here for meditation sessions to consult with the spirits of their ancestors. However, these legends do not scare at all, but only attract more and more travelers to New Mexico. For them, car tracks and footpaths are laid here, which lead both through absolutely bare « moving » dunes, and through a terrain partially covered by strange vegetation and inhabited by no less strange albinos. The best period for visiting dunes is the winter period, when there are not many tourists here, and the winter sun very beautifully flickers on the white sands of the desert.
The monument is completely surrounded by military installations, and the administration always had a difficult relationship with the military. It happened that the missiles fell on the property of the park and caused destruction in areas open to visitors. In 1969, the State Department of Hunting and Fisheries began to breed Serbotics in the Tularoz Valley to develop hunting as a sport. Serboquists who do not have natural enemies in this region invaded the lands of the White Sands, competing for food with local species. In January 2008, White Sands were included in the preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and this caused a real battle between supporters and opponents of changing the status of the park. If the position of the supporters is understandable, then the opponents emphasize that the army will inevitably suffer, because sooner or later international pressure will force the US government to close or move part of the facilities. During military trials, for the safety of people, White Sands are closed to visitors, as the park is within the range of missiles.
