Komierowski Photography

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White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

White Sands National Monument, one of the most unusual and magical places in the Southwest. All Photos are COPYRIGHT and PROPERTY of Rafal K. Komierowski. May - June 2012

West of Alamogordo, a vast area of desert and mountain ranges 100 by 40 miles in extent is closed to public access and used by the military for various kinds of weapons testing...

It was here at White Sands - Trinity Site where the first atomic bomb was detonated, in July 1945.

In the flat Tularosa Basin, where for thousands of years the prevailing westerly winds have deposited gypsum powder - formerly eroded from the nearby San Andres Mountains

Deposited gypsum powder washed down by rainwater and deposited in the seasonal Lake Lucero, creating a huge area of white dunes covering 275 square miles.

White Sands National Monument, one of the most unusual and magical places in the Southwest

The national monument is entirely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range; just east is the Holloman Air Force Base, and a few miles north is one of the space shuttle landing sites

Access road to White Sands National Monument under white sands...

Desert sand becomes extremely hot when the sun is shining, almost straight above...plus 40C is really hot!

Information with regards to wildlife at White Sands National Monument

Elevated boardwalk trail leads through a fragile interdune area to a scenic view at the top of a dune

White Sands National Monument is a unique geological environment due to the fact that the sand dunes are composed of gypsum grains (quartz grains)

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

We enjoyed using one of their unique and shaded picnic spots ...White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Visitor Center, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico