National Park Service
Near Alamogordo, New Mexico: $3/night, tent sites only, no RV pads. Open Year-round (avoid summer). First-come, first-served · permit at visitor center same-day · 10 sites.
National Park Service
Managing authority
Near Alamogordo, New Mexico
How much does camping at White Sands Backcountry (White Sands NP) cost, and when is it open?
White Sands Backcountry (White Sands NP) near Alamogordo, New Mexico (National Park Service) — camping fee $3/night, season Year-round (avoid summer), RV size limit Tent-only. Reservations: First-come, first-served · permit at visitor center same-day · 10 sites — book direct through the official channel.
The numbers
Fee range
$3/night
Season open
Year-round (avoid summer)
RV size limit
Tent-only
Reservation window
First-come, first-served · permit at visitor center same-day · 10 sites
The insider read
Only 10 backcountry sites in the gypsum dunes — no RVs, hike 1-2 miles in. Sites marked by post #. Sunrise + moonlight on the white dunes is the experience. Drinking water carry-in only; toilet kits required.
Original analysis from PickRV — synthesised from public sources you can verify, pulling the operational details competitor guides typically skip.
Verify at nps.govOn site
Book it right
PickRV doesn't handle campground bookings — reserve direct through the official channel so policies and cancellations flow through one record.
Opens nps.gov
Every fact above is sourced from the managing agency's canonical page. Cross-check fee, season, and size limit before you depend on them.
Match the campground's size limit and hookup level to a vehicle category, then plan the rest of the trip.
Keep exploring
Near Los Alamos
NPSInsider tip · Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings + petroglyphs. 7,000-ft elevation cools nights. Frijoles Canyon ladder-up to Alcove House is the kid-favourite. NPS shuttle from Juniper to main area summers.
Near Truth or Consequences
StateInsider tip · Largest NM lake — Rio Grande reservoir. Lake level drops drought years — book the shoreline that's currently wet. Quiet midweek; busy boat-tournament weekends.
Near Jemez Springs
USFSInsider tip · Jemez River + hot springs nearby. McCauley Hot Springs hike from camp. Aspen turning gold late September.
Near Los Ojos
StateInsider tip · No-wake lake — sailors + paddlers' lake. Brazos Cliffs backdrop. Quieter than Elephant Butte; higher elevation (7,200 ft) cools nights.
Nearby & related
Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of New Mexico trip planning.
Before you go
New Mexico rules
Verified 2026-05-10