Best Time to Visit White Sands National Park
Crowds and weather by month · New Mexico · NPS visitor counts through 2025
The short answer
Mild weather, fewer people: January — 43% as busy as March, about 1,286 visitors a day, average high 57°F (14°C).
Also mild and quieter: February (48%), October (59%), November (52%), December (58%).
Quietest month: January — about 1,286 visitors a day, average high 57°F.
Busiest month: March — about 2,985 visitors a day.
White Sands month by month
| Month | Crowds · visitors/day | High / low · precip. |
|---|---|---|
| JanuaryBestQuietest◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate43% of peak · 1,286/day | 57° / 22°F14° / -5°C · 0.5 in · 2 wet days · snow 1 in |
| February◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate48% of peak · 1,444/day | 63° / 27°F17° / -3°C · 0.4 in · 1 wet days |
| March○ Mild weather, busy | Peak100% of peak · 2,985/day | 71° / 33°F22° / 1°C · 0.2 in · 1 wet days |
| April○ Mild weather, busy | Busy80% of peak · 2,389/day | 79° / 41°F26° / 5°C · 0.3 in · 1 wet days |
| May× Hot | Busy68% of peak · 2,017/day | 88° / 50°F31° / 10°C · 0.5 in · 1 wet days |
| June× Very hot | Busy62% of peak · 1,856/day | 97° / 60°F36° / 16°C · 0.7 in · 2 wet days |
| July× Very hot | Busy61% of peak · 1,829/day | 97° / 65°F36° / 19°C · 1.6 in · 3 wet days |
| August× Hot | Moderate45% of peak · 1,335/day | 95° / 64°F35° / 18°C · 1.9 in · 4 wet days |
| September× Hot | Moderate49% of peak · 1,462/day | 89° / 56°F32° / 13°C · 1.5 in · 3 wet days |
| October◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate59% of peak · 1,751/day | 79° / 42°F26° / 6°C · 1.1 in · 2 wet days |
| November◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate52% of peak · 1,551/day | 67° / 29°F19° / -1°C · 0.5 in · 1 wet days |
| December◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate58% of peak · 1,739/day | 56° / 22°F14° / -5°C · 0.7 in · 2 wet days · snow 1 in |
Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.
Visitors per year
| Year | Recreation visits | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 497,506 | |
| 2016 | 555,793 | |
| 2017 | 612,468 | |
| 2018 | 603,008 | |
| 2019 | 608,785 | |
| 2020pandemic | 415,383 | |
| 2021pandemic | 782,469 | |
| 2022 | 705,127 | |
| 2023 | 729,096 | |
| 2024 | 702,236 | |
| 2025 | 659,742 |
Where the weather numbers come from
Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station WHITE SANDS NATL MON — Park visitor center, at 4,006 ft (1,221 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.
Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official White Sands National Park website before you go.
Other parks at their best in January
- Death Valley
65% of peak · high 67°F
How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.
Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station WHITE SANDS NATL MON, USC00299686, 4,006 ft / 1,221 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.
Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.