White Sands National Park hosts National Fossil Day on 14 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 00:55 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- White Sands National Park will host National Fossil Day programmes on 14 October 2026 in the visitor centre courtyard.
- The programme will let visitors examine fossilised footprint casts, moulds and museum collections with park scientists.
- October activities at the park include Ice Age Trail walks, drop-in sessions and a Full Moon Night presentation on 25 October 2026.
White Sands National Park and National Fossil Day come together in Alamogordo on 14 October 2026, when park scientists will present fossil evidence in the visitor centre courtyard. The programme is part of a wider series running from 2 to 28 October and focuses on Ice Age human and mammal footprints preserved beneath the dunes.
National Fossil Day brings scientists to White Sands
The National Fossil Day drop-in programme takes place on Wednesday 14 October from 10am to 2pm. Visitors can examine casts and moulds of fossilised footprints, replica skulls of large mammals and items from the park collection, while park scientists explain the fossil record. The event is one of several public programmes announced by the National Park Service for October.
The wider programme includes Ice Age Life Within drop-in sessions on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with ranger-guided walks on the Ice Age Trail on 7 and 28 October. A separate presentation on 25 October will examine fossilised footprints during the park's October Full Moon Night. The National Fossil Day programme links these activities to ongoing research into ancient lake shores and landscapes beneath the dunes.
Fossil footprints connect the programme with the dunes
The park preserves one of the world's largest concentrations of Ice Age fossil footprints. Its trackways record people and animals moving through the landscape between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago, giving the October programme a direct connection with the ground visitors see today.
White Sands covers part of the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico, where gypsum sand forms the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The National Park Service describes the dunes as covering 275 square miles. That setting makes the visitor centre displays and the Ice Age Trail walks complementary: one presents casts and collections, while the other leads into the landscape associated with the fossil record. A regional report also identifies the site as the National Park Service's featured unit for the 2026 observance and notes the planned activities at the park.
October events extend beyond National Fossil Day
The 25 October Full Moon Night programme will take place at the park's natural outdoor amphitheatre. Resource Management Program Manager David Bustos is scheduled to discuss fossilised footprints, ancient people, predators and prey, with the presentation connected to the park's wider National Fossil Day programme.
The October schedule therefore offers more than one fixed visit date. The 14 October session is the central observance, while the surrounding drop-in programmes and Ice Age Trail walks provide additional opportunities to learn about the same fossil resources during the month.
Visiting White Sands National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- National Fossil Day takes place on 14 October 2026 from 10am to 2pm in the visitor centre courtyard at White Sands National Park.
- The event is a drop-in programme with park scientists, footprint casts, moulds, replica skulls and museum collections. The announcement states that the programme is free, but park entrance fees apply.
- The park is in the Tularosa Basin near Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States. The wider October programme also uses the Ice Age Trail and the natural outdoor amphitheatre.
- The surrounding landscape consists of gypsum dunes, while the fossil trackways preserve evidence of Ice Age people and mammals. Visitors attending the trail activities should expect an outdoor dune environment.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about White Sands National Park
When does National Fossil Day take place at White Sands National Park?
The drop-in programme takes place on 14 October 2026 from 10am to 2pm in the visitor centre courtyard.
What can visitors see during National Fossil Day?
Park scientists will present fossilised footprint casts, moulds, replica skulls and museum collections. The programme explores Ice Age people and mammals preserved in the park.
Where is White Sands National Park and how do you get there?
The park is in the Tularosa Basin near Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States. The announced October activities are held at the visitor centre courtyard, Ice Age Trail and natural outdoor amphitheatre.
