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rumpling on for miles; the stark Tularosa Basin, a desert lowland punctuated by mesquite
and creosote bushes; and on clear days, billowing white dunes of sand shimmering in the
northeast.
As strange as it might seem, herds of African antelopes can be spotted farther ahead on
Rte. 70. The oryx, with long, straight horns and a black-and-white face, was introduced to
the Tularosa Basin.
Las Cruces, rich in arts, history, and scenic beauty, offers great weather year-round.
2.
White Sands National Monument
Likecolossalwaves,thedunesofWhiteSandsNationalMonumentrollacrossthenorthern
horizon. The preserve, covering an astounding 230 square miles, contains in essence one
of the world's largest, most beautiful sandboxes. Composed mostly of gypsum—a mineral
deposited in an ancient sea—the area, as its name implies, is also remarkable for its color,
a brilliant, sparkling shade of white.
Manydunesarenotonlyshapedlikewavesbutalsomovelikethem.Pushedbythepre-
vailingwinds,sandgrainsslowlyclimbonesideofthedune,crest,andthenslidedownthe
opposite face. Sunrise and sunset, the most colorful hours for viewing this sandy sea, paint
the dunes in pastel pinks, oranges, and yellows. Meanwhile, the desert silence is broken
only by the low whistle of the wind.
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