There are plenty of reasons New Mexico has earned its nickname as the Land of Enchantment. It is home to beautiful views, incredible trails, mouthwatering food, and exceptionally rich history. If you’re looking for an especially stunning national park to visit in New Mexico with fascinating fossils, you can’t go wrong at White Sands National Park.

When hiking through White Sands National Park, you might expect to find footprints of people and animals trailing through the glistening white sand from earlier in the day.
Sarah Nichols/Flickr
But did you know some footprints found at the park are much, much older?
Most people don't realize that White Sands National Park is home to incredible fossils, some dating back to the Ice Age.
National Park Service/Wikimedia Commons
Fossilized footprints are scattered around the park, some from giant sloths (like the one pictured above), dire wolves, and even our ancestors.
Thousands of years ago, the now arid park was a massive lake surrounded by lush greenery.
National Park Service/Wikimedia Commons
Dark spots found around the former lakebed were dug up and determined to be the footprints of human hunters tracking down giant sloths and mammoths, as well as the ancient footprints of these massive creatures. In some instances, you can even see the faint outline of toes.

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 Ancient Human Footprints Were Discovered Among Thousands Of Fossils At White Sands National Park In New Mexico

Ancient Human Footprints Were Discovered Among Thousands Of Fossils At White Sands National Park In New Mexico
Scientists dated these footprints to more than 10,000 years ago.
White Sands National Park/Facebook
Other relics found in the area include seeds (determined to be over 18,000 years old), stone flakes from tools, and fossilized bones of ancient animals.
What other incredible finds have you stumbled across when visiting White Sands?
Angi English/Flickr
White Sands National Park is located in southern New Mexico, just 52 miles northeast of Las Cruces via Route 70.
Google Maps

For more details about this national park to visit in New Mexico, visit the National Park Service website or the park’s Facebook page.

Do you want to visit even more impressive fossils in New Mexico? Read all about this fossil park In New Mexico.

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More to Explore

National Park To Visit In New Mexico

Meghan Byers | April 22, 2022

 What are the best parks in New Mexico?

New Mexico is home to so many beautiful parks. White Sands National Park and the fascinating Carlsbad Caverns should not be missed, but beyond New Mexico’s national parks and monuments, it also has 35 state parks with diverse environments worth exploring. City of Rocks State Park in Faywood features volcanic rock formations rising up toward the sky as high as 40 feet, creating a one-of-a-kind landscape. Elephant Butte State Park has sandy beaches along the shores of an enormous lake, where you can boat or fish. Cimarron Canyon State Park has breathtaking scenery, with cliffs overlooking the Cimarron River as it flows through the forested canyon. Visit our rundown of the 14 best state parks in New Mexico for more of the best parks to add to your bucket list.

Where can I find the best hiking trails in New Mexico?

Hiking is one of the best things to do outside in New Mexico, and there’s no shortage of hiking trails to explore. Santa Fe National Forest has numerous scenic trails ranging from easy to extremely challenging, so there’s something for everyone regardless of your hiking ability. The Jemez Falls Trail, for example, is a simple, 0.7-mile trail that features a waterfall at the end.

New Mexico’s national monuments also offer plenty of unique hiking opportunities. At Pecos National Monument, take the Ancestral Sites Trail to see the Pecos Pueblo and mission church along with stunning views of the mountains. At Bandelier National Monument, take a look at prehistoric cliff-dwellings along the 1.2-mile Main Ruin Loop Trail. Petroglyph National Monument features both petroglyphs and inactive volcanoes. Rinconada Canyon Trail is one good option to see plenty of petroglyphs, and the aptly named Volcanoes Trail is perfect for getting a closer look at the volcanoes. For more ideas, check out our list of the 7 best springtime hikes to take in New Mexico.

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White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA