Full Moon Hike
White Sands National Park Tours
Have you ever wanted to hike the dunes under the magical glow of the full moon? This is your chance to enjoy the peace and serenity of this unique environment and experience White Sands after dark by joining a park ranger for a guided full moon hike. Full moon hikes are offered once a month on the night before the full moon.
The Full Moon Hike follows the Dune Life Nature Trail and is rated as moderate. It requires hikers to climb steep dunes and walk on soft sand. The trail starts down on the desert plain and is level for the first 300 yards before going up a steep slope onto the sand dunes. The trail is one mile (1.61 km) long. You must be able to hike the entire trail and the group must stay together for safety concerns. No one is permitted to leave the program early to return to the parking area by themselves.
The park offers the Full Moon Hike from April through November. Reservations are required to participate in the program. For more information, visit the park's website.
2023 Full Moon Hike Schedule
Tuesday, March 7 at 6:15 pm
Wednesday, April 5 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, May 4 at 7:45 pm
Saturday, June 3 at 8:15 pm
Sunday, July 2 at 8:15 pm
Tuesday, August 1 at 8:15 pm
Thursday August 31 at 7:45 pm
Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 28 at 6:30 pm
Monday, November 27 at 5:00 pm
Tickets are available two months before the tour date at 8:00 am mountain Time. For example, if the tour is on May 15, tickets will be available at 8:00 am MT on March 15.
Please note that tickets often sell out within a matter of minutes. There is no waitlist for sold-out tours; however, if tickets are canceled, they will be immediately available here on Recreation.gov.
Select a date to see a list of times
Need to Know
- Participants must be physically capable of walking a total of one mile (1.6 km) on sand, up and down sand dunes.
- To minimize risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19, we encourage all Full Moon Hike participants to maintain six feet of social distancing from other family groups and hike leaders.
- Participants must stay with the group for the duration of the program and be physically capable of walking a total of one mile (1.6 km) in the dunes. Children must stay close to their parents. This is a night hike, and it is extremely easy to become lost once separated from the group. Due to these concerns, it is not recommended to bring young children and infants on this tour. This tour is not stroller-accessible.
- Closed-toe shoes are required.
- Be prepared for varying temperatures and weather conditions. You may need a hat, jacket, and gloves. The temperature drops quickly as the sun goes down.
- One liter of water per person is recommended.
- Participants must stay with the group for the duration of the program and be physically capable of walking a total of one mile (1.6 km) in the dunes. Children must stay close to their parents. This is a night hike, and it is extremely easy to become lost once separated from the group. Due to these concerns, it is not recommended to bring young children and infants on this tour. This tour is not stroller-accessible.
- Please carpool with friends and family due to limited parking at the trailhead.
- While photography is allowed and encouraged, no tripods or flash photography will be allowed. To preserve everyone's night vision and program experience, flashlights or headlamps can be brought on the tour, but their use is not allowed without the permission of the park ranger.
- Tour check-in begins 30-minutes before program start time at the Dune Life Nature Trail. The hike will begin promptly at the stated start time. If you arrive after rangers have left the trailhead, you will not be to join the hike.
- Pets are allowed as long as they are non-disruptive, on a leash no longer than six feet (2 m), and are under physical control at all times. Please pick up after your pet(s).
