White Sands National Park, New Mexico

The dazzling white sand dunes of White Sands National Park are comprised of fine-grained gypsum, instead of quartz sand found in most deserts. The gypsum originates in the surrounding mountains which border the park on the east and west. Intermittent rains bring dissolved gypsum into the park's basin, where it crystallizes and is carried by winds to form dunes. It is the largest gypsum dune field in the world, covering nearly 300 square miles.

I've minimally processed the color in these images. Shadows in the sand appear blue, and sunrise and sunset colors tint the sand into delicate pastel shades. It is a desert of incomparable beauty and one of my favorite locations in the world.