Rooted in the White Sands

A solitary yucca stands rooted between sweeping gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park, thriving against the stark beauty of the New Mexico desert. Morning sunlight reveals countless footprints and wind-carved textures across the brilliant sand, while scattered vegetation stretches toward the hazy horizon. #WhiteSands #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #SoaptreeYucca #GypsumDunes #DesertPlants #Footprints #MorningLight #DesertLandscape #PanoramicPhotography #NaturePhotography #NationalParks #Southwest #EngelPhotography

Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 8:21 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 24mm

Shutter Speed 1/200 sec

Aperture ƒ/11

ISO 64

Location North America, The United States of America, New Mexico, White Sands National Park

Keywords Astrophotography, Desert Landscape, Landscapes & Nature, National Park, Panorama, Photography Effects, Photography Genres, Photography Techniques, Plant, Scenic Vista, Sol (Earth Sun), Texture

Camera Nikon D850

Lens NIKON 24-85mm F3.5-4.5G ED VR AF-S Nikkor Lens

Approximate Map Location

Latitude: 32.801952
Longitude: -106.250885
Altitude: 1,192.0 meters / 3,910.8 feet