(first stop where you can climb the sand bank and take a short hike around the dunes)
(as the sand takes over, the pavement turns into the dirt road)
(start of a 5 mile hike on the Alkali Flat trail)
(these are the Alkali Flats where most of the white sand forms)
(this is also where the trail slowly veers and starts its return to the parking lot)
(you may think that paying attention to the mountains at the horizon is enough for orientation...)
(...but 5 miles of non stop dunes can be quite confusing)
(fortunately the trail markers are usually well visible)
(apparently sunsets are notorious photo-ops around here)
(we didn't want to roam the dunes in darkness, so we returned to the parking lot)
(do you see the kitty on top of the nearest car?)
(here it is in full detail)
(as the sunset culminated, we climbed the nearest dune...)
(...and together with other visitors...)
(...enjoyed the spectacle)
(on our way back I thought - what a winter like scenery)