Golden Grasses of White Sands

Sunlit desert grasses glow in warm shades of gold along the edge of the gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park. Beyond the delicate blades, brilliant white sand and scattered vegetation create a striking contrast beneath the soft blue New Mexico sky, revealing the resilient life that thrives where desert grassland meets the shifting dunes. #WhiteSands #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #DesertGrass #GypsumDunes #DesertPlants #DesertLandscape #MorningLight #NaturePhotography #LandscapePhotography #NationalParks #Southwest #EngelPhotography

Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 8:41 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 62mm

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 Desert Landscape, Landscapes & Nature, National Park, Photography Techniques, Plant, Texture

Camera Nikon D850

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

Approximate Map Location

Latitude: 32.795586
Longitude: -106.212364
Altitude: 1,189.0 meters / 3,900.9 feet