Rebuilding America: White Sands National Park not open yet

Situated between Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range is a large swathe of gypsum desert.

White Sands National Park was designated a national park in November and is considered to be a local jewel in Otero County.

Under more regular conditions, tourists visiting White Sands National Park would stop at one of the City of Alamogordo's many locally-owned restaurants and shops.

The park received over 600,000 visitors in 2018, when it was still only a national monument, creating an economic impact of $32,192,000, according to the National Park Service.

In 2019 the then-monument created an economic impact in surrounding communities of $37,145,000 — a number that supporters of a national park designation argued would only increase.

At the time U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said elevating the site to a national monument would help increase tourism and boost the local economy.

But New Mexico enacted health safety mandates restricting the number of people who could gather in a group, and the U.S. National park Service closed the park March 22 in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

But past government-mandated closures didn't stop visitors from breaching the park's fence.

During the December 2018 government shutdown, unauthorized visitors were reported to have breached the fence to visit the then White Sands National Monument.

“We have not had any significant issues with unauthorized guests, and we’d like to thank the public for helping to keep White Sands the special place that it is," White Sands National Park Superintendent Marie Sauter said.

The park was closed for 35 days then and some maintenance was needed before it could reopen to the public. 

Sauter said the park and National Park Service await guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities on when to reopen to the public.

The NPS said reopening is being discussed on a park-by-park basis. The park's approach is centered around making sure facility functions and services are in compliance with current health guidance, Sauter said.

"We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public areas and work spaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers," Sauter said.

She said the park's priority remains the health and safety of employees and visitors.

“When recreating, the public will be encouraged to follow local area health orders, practice leave no trace principles, social distance and avoid high-risk outdoor activities. In some circumstances, during these initial phases of resuming operations, visitors should be prepared for limited access to services," Sauter said.

The CDC has a list of guidelines for safe outdoor recreation.

These guidelines include visiting parks close to home, do not visit parks if ill with or recovering from COVID-19, do not go to crowded parks, avoid playgrounds and more.

For more information on White Sands National Park, visit the park's website.