White Sands
Hike for Mental Health

January 27, 2024
White Sands National Park
Alamogordo, New Mexico

Like a mirage, dazzling white sand dunes shimmer in the tucked-way Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. They shift and settle over the Chihuahuan Desert, covering 275 square miles — the largest gypsum dunefield in the world…

White Sands National Park has unusually harsh environmental conditions, even for the desert. But that hasn’t stopped animal species from adapting, surviving, and even thriving here. If you look closely, you can see their tracks in the sand to remind yourself of their presence. And while it may be hard to imagine, there are over 800 species of animals that call White Sands their home…

One of the most outstanding features of White Sands National Park is its unique geology. Without it, the white sands of New Mexico would not be here…

Meet new friends and enjoy the natural beauty of White Sands National Park on this 4.5 mile hike, just an hour from Las Cruces and 90 minutes from El Paso.

Registration is Closed

Registration Is Free

Instead of charging a fee, we ask your help raising funds for mental health research and trail maintenance.

It’s fast and easy! When you register, you will be able to personalize a sponsorship page and share it through email and your favorite social media such as Facebook or Instagram. How does it work?

Every little bit helps, and there is no minimum to raise – we just ask that you help us spread the word, then come join us on the trail.

Registration is Closed

Get a Free Hiking Shirt

Our quick-dry shirts look and feel great, on or off the trail.

Every registered hiker who raises at least $250 will receive a HIKE for Mental Health shirt as a token of our appreciation.

Available in men’s or women’s sizes SMALL – XXL.

When you register, we will ask your size preference. Once you reach $250 in donations to your fundraising page, we will get your shirt to you.

If you hit the $250 ten days before the hike, your hike leader will have your shirt for you on hike day. Otherwise, we will mail it to you after the hike.

So help us raise money and awareness for this great cause.

Registration is Closed

For a Good Cause

HIKE for Mental Health is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

All contributions are tax deductible, and 100% of the hike donations support our mission.

Eighty cents of every dollar funds mental health programs, including break-through scientific research into PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar spectrum disorders, depression and other major mental illnesses. Through research we can find better ways to alleviate the suffering that affects 1 in 4 American families.

The remaining twenty cents maintains wilderness trails across the U.S. By supporting non-profit, volunteer groups that care for our trails, we help preserve wilderness experiences for generations to come. Where the money goes.

Registration is Closed

Hike Details

Location:	White Sands National Park, Alamogordo, New Mexico
Date:	January 27, 2024.
Time:	Approximately 10 am – 1 pm. Exact times and locations with directions provided to registered hikers only.
Distance:	4.5 miles.
Difficulty level:	A moderate hike.
Suitable for beginners?	Yes, if you can climb 3 flights of stairs without stopping and still be smiling!
Registration fee	Registration is free. However, White Sands National Park will charge an entrance fee of $25 per vehicle.
Pet friendly?	Well-behaved dogs are welcome on a 6 ft lead.
Sponsorship amount:	The hike goal is $1,500. There is no minimum required to join the hike, but if every hiker raises $250 we will get very close to our goal.
Free shirt:	Hikers who raise $250 or more will receive a free HIKE for Mental Health quick-dry hiking shirt.
Hike director:	Sara Yandell is currently serving in the Air Force as a pre-deployment instructor and Owner/Guide of Chaising Views Drinking Brews. She has been providing guided hikes since 2021 when she established CVDB. Being outdoors has always been an important part in tending to Sara’s mental health. Hiking has been an amazing opportunity to support herself through the challenges she faces, not only in life, but the ones we all face out on the trail. Being able to share this opportunity with others through Hike for Mental Health is the perfect way to share what she loves with others and support the mission of improving mental health through spending time in nature.. Kelly Reinhart is currently a social worker and yoga instructor who is passionate about bringing mental health and self-care to the community in an accessible and fun way. She fell in love with hiking several years ago due to the feeling she got in overcoming challenging hikes or situations she thought she couldn’t do. She hopes that others will find improvements in their mental health and challenge their notions of what they are capable of through hiking. “White Sands National Park just has this magic about it. Looking over the dunes of white gypsum surrounded by the nearby mountains is a perfect surrounding to take a break from day-to-day life and connect back with yourself.”

Registration is Closed

Trail Map

Every HIKE for Mental Health is an opportunity to:

get away from the hustle and bustle of work-a-day life and enjoy the beauty of Nature
renew old friendships and make new ones
have a great time hiking with a good group of people
stand up against the stigma of mental illness
discover your new favorite get-away
raise money for a great cause

Come on out and join us!

Registration is Closed