Otero County

A county of white sands and high mountains in southern New Mexico, where gypsum dunes, space history, and petroglyphs each hold their own charm.

Otero County is located in southern New Mexico, with the Tularosa Basin in the west and the Sacramento Mountains in the east, and Alamogordo as its county seat. The gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park are the main highlight, where you can hike the Alkali Flat Trail or stroll the Dune Life Nature Trail. The New Mexico Museum of Space History and Three Rivers Petroglyph Site are also well worth a visit. In the mountains, Cloudcroft, the Mexican Canyon Trestle, and Sunspot Solar Observatory offer cool, refreshing escapes. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons; summers in the basin are hot, making it the perfect time to head up the mountains to escape the heat. The gateway is El Paso International Airport in Texas, followed by a drive north.

Destinations

• White Sands & Alamogordo
• Las Cruces & White Sands

Itineraries

• White Sands, Caverns & Big Bend – An El Paso loop taking you through White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mountains, Marfa, and Big Bend.