Hiking the Playa Trail in White Sands National Park
Distance: 0.5 miles / 0.8 km
The Playa Trail in White Sands National Park is an easy 0.5-mile (0.8 km) roundtrip hike that follows a flat trail off of Dunes Drive to a nearby playa, just off the road.
What is a Playa in White Sands National Park?
A playa is a shallow depression, or typically dry lakebed, that often remains dry throughout the year. That being said, this can quickly change during the summer monsoon season when heavy thunderstorms sweep across the west.
It is during these storms that the playa refills with water, creating an interesting ecosystem and ever-changing habitat for plants and animals that call the park home, a number of which are endemic to the park, meaning that they are found nowhere else on earth!
Playa Trailhead Parking
The Playa Trailhead is located directly off the side of Dunes Drive, about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) away from the visitor center and just before the turn for the Dune Life Nature Trail.
With that in mind, the parking area is small, but the Playa Trail is nowhere near the busiest trail in the park.
Google Maps Directions: Playa Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - White Sands
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in White Sands National Park.
Hiking the Playa Trail
From the trailhead, the Playa Trail follows a series of trail markers out to the playa, which can be seen off in the distance.
While it can be easy to branch off the trail and into the playa at any time, I recommend hiking the trail to the end, so that you can easily find the deepest point of the lakebed.
The Playa
At the end of the Playa Trail, you have the option to explore the lakebed, so long as it is not filled with water.
That being said, July through August is typically the monsoon season in White Sands National Park. This is when the shallow depression can fill with water, which is also when you’re advised to stay out, as footprints or any other mark can have a long-lasting impact on the playa.
This is the deepest point in the playa, which should give you an idea of how much water can fill this small basin.
