Alone Above a Sea of White

A solitary visitor stands atop a luminous gypsum dune, dwarfed by the sweeping landscape of White Sands National Park. Trails of footprints curve across wind-rippled sand toward the distant San Andres Mountains, emphasizing the immense scale and quiet solitude of this remarkable New Mexico desert.
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Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 9:20 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 24mm

Shutter Speed 1/250 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, Scenic Vista

Camera Nikon D850

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

Approximate Map Location

Latitude: 32.82127
Longitude: -106.273682
Altitude: 1,183.0 meters / 3,881.2 feet