Dunas de Yeso

The Dunas de Yeso are a field of snow-white dunes spread over some 800 hectares in the south of the Cuatrociénegas valley, about 20 kilometers from town. Unlike ordinary sand, they are made of gypsum, a mineral left behind when the ancient sea that once covered this region dried up. Very few places in the world have gypsum dunes, and these are among the largest.

The white sand reflects the sun almost like snow, so the landscape changes dramatically with the light: blinding at noon, soft and pink at sunrise and sunset. Among the dunes, small desert plants manage to grow in the gypsum, and the bigger mounds make fine lookouts over the valley and the surrounding mountains.

The dunes are inside the protected area and the access gate is kept locked. You can only visit with a licensed guide, who has the key and can be hired at the Poza Azul visitor center or in town. Take nothing with you when you leave, not even a handful of sand.