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Visitor statistics

How many people visit White Sands?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
659,742 recreation visits in 2025, #35 of 63 national parks. The record is 2021 (782,469). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts, including the years before it became a national park in 2019.
2025 visits
659,742
−6.1% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#35
of 63 national parks
Record year
2021
782,469 visits
vs 2015
+32.6%
ten-year change
vs 1979
+13.6%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
Mar 1986
112,288 visits

1979–2025

Every year since the counts began

Recreation visits per calendar year, as reported to the NPS Visitor Use Statistics office. The 2025 bar is highlighted; a missing bar means the park did not report all twelve months that year.
0391K782K1979: 580,814 visits1980: 511,476 visits1981: 556,494 visits1982: 543,581 visits1983: 492,902 visits1984: 542,930 visits1985: 486,754 visits1986: 666,879 visits1987: 567,613 visits1988: 556,185 visits1989: 568,530 visits1990: 582,487 visits1991: 588,543 visits1992: 590,371 visits1993: 611,252 visits1994: 583,061 visits1995: 604,796 visits1996: 616,699 visits1997: 629,507 visits1998: 592,957 visits1999: 553,948 visits2000: 515,229 visits2001: 518,958 visits2002: 498,964 visits2003: 492,008 visits2004: 448,185 visits2005: 450,447 visits2006: 440,927 visits2007: 437,042 visits2008: 438,511 visits2009: 471,167 visits2010: 470,921 visits2011: 428,924 visits2012: 447,385 visits2013: 490,544 visits2014: 503,660 visits2015: 497,506 visits2016: 555,793 visits2017: 612,468 visits2018: 603,008 visits2019: 608,785 visits2020: 415,383 visits2021: 782,469 visits2022: 705,127 visits2023: 729,096 visits2024: 702,236 visits2025: 659,742 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
2025659,742−6.1%#35
2024702,236−3.7%#33
2023729,096+3.4%#31
2022705,127−9.9%#30
2021782,469+88.4%#31
2020415,383−31.8%#34
2019608,785+1.0%#37
2018603,008−1.5%#34
2017612,468+10.2%#37
2016555,793+11.7%#38
2015497,506−1.2%#40
2014503,660+2.7%#37
2013490,544+9.6%#37
2012447,385+4.3%#39
2011428,924−8.9%#39
2010470,921−0.1%#36
2009471,167+7.4%#35
2008438,511+0.3%#37
2007437,042−0.9%#40
2006440,927−2.1%#36
2005450,447+0.5%#37
2004448,185−8.9%#37
2003492,008−1.4%#35
2002498,964−3.9%#36
2001518,958+0.7%#35
2000515,229−7.0%#34
1999553,948−6.6%#35
1998592,957−5.8%#33
1997629,507+2.1%#31
1996616,699+2.0%#33
1995604,796+3.7%#34
1994583,061−4.6%#36
1993611,252+3.5%#34
1992590,371+0.3%#36
1991588,543+1.0%#36
1990582,487+2.5%#34
1989568,530+2.2%#34
1988556,185−2.0%#36
1987567,613−14.9%#36
1986666,879+37.0%#29
1985486,754−10.3%#34
1984542,930+10.1%#31
1983492,902−9.3%#33
1982543,581−2.3%#33
1981556,494+8.8%#32
1980511,476−11.9%#34
1979580,814—#29

By decade

The long view

1970s
580,814
avg · 1 yr
1980s
549,334
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
595,362
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
471,144
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
521,899
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
665,676
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 39% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 35% — visits have spread out across the year.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 42,273, Feb 41,885, Mar 99,222, Apr 77,761, May 70,455, Jun 62,494, Jul 66,570, Aug 46,436, Sep 46,536, Oct 53,137, Nov 51,103, Dec 57,862.

Quietest: FebruaryBusiest: March

The weather page puts these crowd levels beside each month’s temperatures.

About these numbers

Figures are the National Park Service’s monthly recreation-visit counts, retrieved from its public statistics service and summed by calendar year. A year is shown only when all twelve months were reported. The NPS revises recent months occasionally, so small differences from a later nps.gov table are normal. Rankings compare the 63 national parks for the same year. See every park ranked for 2025.

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits by park, 1979–2025 · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

FAQ

White Sands visitor questions

How many people visit White Sands National Park each year?
659,742 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #35 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 521,899 a year.
What was White Sands's busiest year?
2021, with 782,469 recreation visits — +18.6% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was March 1986 (112,288 visits).
Is White Sands getting more crowded?
2025 visits were +32.6% compared with 2015 and +46.5% compared with 2005. The low point of recent years was 2020 (415,383).
What counts as a recreation visit?
The NPS counts a recreation visit as one person entering the park for recreation; someone who leaves and re-enters is counted again, and commuters, through-traffic and staff are excluded. Counts come from gate and traffic counters with park-specific multipliers, so they are estimates.
Why does the record start before White Sands became a national park?
The NPS counts visits by park unit, and the unit kept the same statistics code when it was redesignated a national park in 2019. Earlier years are visits to the same place under its previous designation.

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