It stretches for miles, an endless and unbroken terrain of white. At points, it is packed ice scattering sunlight in a dozen rays. At others, it is soft sand the color of bleached sand and bones being sifted by the gentle movement of the breeze. Sheltered seats and wooden boardwalks arising from beneath the sand appear misplaced, discarded by people in this arid and monotonous landscape. Seen in the color of snow and the texture of sand, the White Sands National Monument of New Mexico is both perplexing and disorienting. It is the product of 250 million years of freezing, thawing and wind action on the gypsum left behind in a dried lake, building over time in the world’s largest gypsum dunefield.

And yet this remarkable natural phenomenon creates the perfect habitat for hardy shrubs and prickly plants breaking through cracks in the ground. In this way, the native plant garden is filled with color from yucca and wildflowers year round (March to November if we’re being technical). It even creates the perfect opportunity for sledding without all the hassle of unbearable cold. Seen as a whole, the White Sands is 715 square kilometers of breathtaking scenery and endless action.