A Path into the White Sands

A pale gypsum trail winds through golden desert grassland as visitors begin their journey into White Sands National Park. From this elevated view, the pathway becomes a natural leading line across the Chihuahuan Desert, connecting hardy native vegetation with distant white dunes and the hazy mountains of southern New Mexico. #WhiteSands #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #GypsumTrail #DesertGrassland #Hiking #NatureTrail #ChihuahuanDesert #LeadingLines #LandscapePhotography #TravelPhotography #NationalParks #Southwest #EngelPhotography

Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 8:48 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 24mm

Shutter Speed 1/125 sec

Aperture ƒ/11

ISO 64

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

Keywords Desert Landscape, Hiking Trail, Landscapes & Nature, National Park, People, Plant, Johnnie Engel, Sam Engel

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