1982 Map of Heart of the Sands

About this map

Alkali Flat dominates the western portion of this 1982 orthophotomap, showing the stark transition between the barren basin floor and the beginning of the dune fields. As a point where the White Sands National Monument meets the White Sands Missile Range, the map illustrates a landscape defined by movement and federal stewardship. The photographic base allows for a detailed view of shifting sand patterns that traditional topographic lines struggle to convey, revealing the rhythmic, wave-like formations of the dunes as they migrate across the basin. Near the eastern edge, the Heart of the Sands Loop Drive provides vehicle access to the interior of the gypsum field, leading visitors toward a designated Picnic Area. The demarcation of the National Monument Boundary across this terrain highlights the intersection of public recreation and restricted military research zones in the Tularosa Basin.