White Sands National Park to close in effort to promote social distancing

ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico —  White Sands National Park will close Sunday in an effort to promote social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, officials with the National Park Service said, "The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at White Sands National Park is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation."

White Sands contains the world’s largest gypsum dunefield, and also is home to the globe’s largest collection of Ice Age fossilized footprints. It sees hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and spurs millions of dollars in spending for the local economy.

The park's closure is indefinite, but updates on the park's status can be found by clicking here.