Interdune Boardwalk

The National Park Service currently lists Interdune Boardwalk as closed because of the active Dunes Drive safety corridor. Do not enter the boardwalk while that restriction is in effect. Ask at the visitor center about available alternatives and check the park’s current conditions before visiting. The route description below explains the boardwalk when access is permitted.

Interdune Boardwalk is a 0.4-mile round-trip out-and-back on a raised path through White Sands’ interdune ground. Allow 15–30 minutes to follow ten interpretive panels and take in the view over the white dunes toward the Sacramento Mountains. It’s a good choice for a brief, low-effort look at the park’s gypsum landscape, especially if you want a firm boardwalk instead of walking directly over the sand. For a longer walk among the dunes, choose one of the park’s longer trails; this one is an introduction, not a deep crossing.

The route runs about 0.2 mile each way from the parking area to a viewing platform, then returns along the same path. It passes through the vegetated interdune zone toward more open gypsum dunes. Ten panels explain the area’s geology, wildlife and other features. A covered seating and shade area is about halfway along, with no junctions to sort out.

At the platform, the dunes stretch toward the Sacramento Mountains. The vista is a nice payoff for a short walk, though some visitors find it modest beside hikes that go farther into the dune field. If you stop for a picture, include a length of the raised boardwalk in front of the dunes to show how the path sits above the fragile ground.

The park designates the trail as ADA-accessible, and the boardwalk keeps the route on a raised deck. Wind can blow sand onto parts of it and make the walk harder, so accessibility may vary with drifting sand. The parking area is surfaced with compacted sand and has an accessible restroom. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet; the park advises bringing water for people and pets.