This morning we got loaded up and drove to White Sands National Park. We have spent time at sand dunes before (when we went to Death Valley National Park)… so, we were quite sure we were going to enjoy this National Park, just based on our last experience. It did not disappoint.
Driving in, the paved road ends and becomes hard packed sand that they use basically snow plows to upkeep. It is hard enough packed, they don’t limit who can drive on it… all vehicles are allowed.
We opted to hang out at the picnic area before driving the big loop in the park to the big sand dunes. Lunch was charcuterie style munchies as it was quick and easy to grab from the camper this morning. It was also super easy to cut up the fresh fruits and veggies inside the park. Winning.
Amelia got a gtube lunch and I hung out with her while she played in the sand. It took her a minute to figure out that we brought her to a huge sandbox. Then she was thrilled.
For a couple minutes, Amelia seemed to be pulling a Peter Pan… she seemed to be chasing and interacting with her shadow. The above photo was during her cute shadow discovery.
I did a couple runs on the sled, the boys did LOTS! They sell sleds and wax at the gift shop. It’s kinda a ripoff, at $25/ sled and $4 for wax. They sell used sleds for $20, but there wasn’t any available when we were there. They also buy the sleds back, but only give you $5 store credit. As we are traveling in a tiny camper and don’t have a use for them between here and Virginia, we opted to sell them back. We used our store credit for some fudge and salsa at the gift shop. Walmart like 20 minutes away also sells sleds year round, but we didn’t drive past it, so it didn’t make sense to get them there. Oh well, we have Amelia’s disabled National Parks pass, so we are getting into the parks with her for free… so we can support the parks in other ways (like by purchasing expensive sleds to use for less than 2 hours, hehe).
Miss Amelia did one big run down with DJ and enjoyed it. By this time, both kids were turning into burnt toast and were getting quite tired and needed a break.
Surprisingly, it was a very warm 50° outside at the sand dunes while we were there. It was gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed the perfect weather. Such a flex from having overnight temps dip to 26° last night and eventually getting up to 64-ish today.
We went in shifts to see the big dunes. I got to explore all by myself while the other 3 hung out in and around the truck, taking a breather. It was gorgeous.
Jackson was knackered after all the sand sledding, however I convinced both boys to take the short hike to see the 360 degree views. #worthit
I mean, for reals… we LOVE National Parks. So much fun to explore the different landscapes/habitats/climates/etc… Two days ago we were looking at lots of cactus. Today, sand dunes. Tomorrow, a cave!
Before heading back to our camper, we stopped to get some groceries. We haven’t ate out too much on this trip yet and are definitely content to avoid it when possible.
As mentioned yesterday, our HipCamp campsite isn’t as exciting as our Tucson one. The off-season pecan farm is still nice, but it would have been fun to see when the trees are producing.
The owner of the property lives behind the wooden fence shown in the camper photos above. Their camper is stored in the tan and white structure and there is a 3rd camper (2nd HipCamp site) on the far side of the tan and white structure.
When we got back from the National Park and groceries, the owner was outside in her front yard with her dogs. Amelia loved getting puppy kisses from the bigger dog, Buddy. While taking to the owner, we asked if there was someplace we could buy some pecans or pecan pie (as it seems only logical that we would get at least one during our stay at a pecan farm). She proceeded to grab a few from her house, but they aren’t out of their shells… TBD how we will get them open later. We were super excited and grateful she was willing to give us some from their fields. There is a major difference between HipCamp and Harvest Host camping. Harvest Host (which we haven’t done yet) you likely don’t get hook ups, and don’t pay for your stay. You are usually limited to 1 night and are expected to purchase something from the location you are staying at… winery=wine, farm=farm goods, etc… HipCamp sites are paid for and don’t come with the obligatory purchasing of goods from the host/owner. So the fact she gave us some pecans is definitely a bonus!
For dinner we made some pinto bean and rice burritos. They were yummy, especially with the super spicy salsa we got from swapping our sleds for store credit. My burrito had pinto beans (with taco seasoning on them), rice, green and red peppers, onion, guacamole, spicy salsa, cilantro, and lime juice. The boys had similar burrito concoctions.
Jackson tends to eat on the queen bed with the collapsible tray table. DJ and I tend to sit or stand where it makes sense and frequently eat at staggered times to make sure Amelia isn’t getting into too much shenanigans.
We all showered in the camper again tonight and are getting cozy again for another cold night. Tomorrow we are headed to Carlsbad Caverns National Park along with moving our camper to a KOA for 1 night and hopefully doing some laundry.
Adventuring with Amelia 