Q1. Is there a fee?
A1. No. There is no fee to visit the Trinity Site open house.
Upcoming Dates: April 2, 2022 and
October 15, 2022
The first Saturday in April and the third Saturday October
Stallion Gate Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Trinity Site prompt closure: 3:30 p.m.
Due to the annual increase in the number of visitors to the Trinity Site Open Houses. The Alamogordo caravan is only open to the first 125 vehicles. The limit is necessary to maintain a safe environment enroute to Trinity Site. All others will have to enter the site through the Stallion Gate located off U.S. Highway 380. The route is approximately the same time and distance as the caravan route.
Members of the press who would like to cover the upcoming Trinity Site open house must register with our Public Affairs Office.
Please click the link below to register:
**DO NOT use GPS to get to Trinity Site use directions below**
Stallion Gate Entrance
Exit I-25 on mile marker 139 (San Antonio, N.M.) and head 12 miles east or exit U.S. Highway 54 onto U.S. Highway 380 and head west 53 miles of Carrizozo, N.M. Turn south on New Mexico State Highway 525 and head south five miles to the Stallion gate.
Alamogordo Caravan
Alamogordo Alternative - The Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce sponsors a caravan for visitors to Trinity Site. The Alamogordo caravan meeting site is at the Tularosa High School Athletic Field Parking lot. Turn west off Hwy. 54/70 in Tularosa at Higuero St. Proceed west to La Luz Ave. Turn right on La Luz Ave. (north) to athletic field.
Vehicle line up will begin at 7 a.m. Caravan departs at 8 a.m. NO STRAGGLERS WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE CARAVAN ONCE THE LAST PERSON IN THE CARAVAN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
Visitors entering this way will travel as an escorted group to and from Trinity Site. The drive is 145 miles roundtrip and there are no service station facilities on the missile range. Please make sure you have a full tank of gas.
The caravan is scheduled to leave Trinity Site at 12:30 for the return to Tularosa.
Cameras are allowed at Trinity Site but their use is strictly prohibited anywhere else on White Sands Missile Range.
TRINITY SITE MAP - DOWNLOAD HERE
All states and territories are now either fully compliant with the Real ID Act OR have been granted extension until May 3, 2023.
For detailed information, please visit:
https://realid.mvd.newmexico.gov/
A3. Food items will be sold from 8 a.m. to about 12:20 p.m. Cash only. Items range from $3-$5.
A5. There are no scheduled tours or ceremonies. This is a self-guided open house event.
A6. Photos are allowed at Ground Zero and the McDonald ranch house. Photography is strictly prohibited on any other part of the installation.
A7. A government-issued photo ID is required for everyone 18 years and over and proof of insurance and registration for your vehicle or rental agreement. Please see REAL ID information for documentation to be used in lieu of or with a non-compliant state driver's license.
Foreign nationals must present a valid passport
A8. No weapons are allowed. There is no place to store weapons or firearms. Leave them at home.
A9. Pets are allowed as long as they are leashed and their waste is picked up and put into a trash receptacle. Pets are not allowed on the shuttle that takes visitors to the ranch house.
A11. The Stallion Gate is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The site closes promptly at 3:30 p.m.
A12. The walk from the parking area to Ground Zero is about 1/8 of a mile.
A13. An obelisk at Ground Zero and the McDonald ranch house which is where the plutonium core was assembled.
A14. Large vehicles such as recreational vehicles, campers and buses are allowed at the open house. Ample parking is available for these types of vehicles.
A15. Handicapped-accessible porta potties are available at the site.
A16. Unfortunately there are no handicap buses available to visit the McDonald Ranch House. However, architectural drawings and information about the ranch house are available near the entrance to ground zero.
A17. Souvenirs and food are available for sale at the site. Cash only.
A18. There is no gas station on the missile range. Trinity is in a very remote location, please be sure you have a full tank of gas. We recommend filling up your tank in Socorro, Carrizozo, or Truth or Consequences depending on which direction you are traveling from.
A19. Yes, the site is wheelchair accessible. We also provide a golf cart to take disabled individuals to Ground Zero. However, there are no paved roads and visitors must be prepared to travel through loose sand and rocks.
A20. No, you do not have to register to join the caravan. However, the caravan is limited to the first 125 vehicles. All others will have to enter the site through the Stallion Gate located off U.S. Highway 380.
A21. Yes, visitors who follow the caravan may exit Trinity Site through the Stallion gate.
A22. Visitors who wish to ride the caravan must meet at 7 a.m. at the Tularosa High School Athletic Field Parking Lot. A photo id will be required. The caravan is limited to the first 125 vehicles. All others will have to enter the site through the Stallion Gate located off U.S. Highway 380.
A23. The caravan departs from Trinity Site by 12:30 p.m. Visitors wanting to return to the caravan are asked to line up in their vehicles at least 15 minutes before departure. The caravan is limited to the first 125 vehicles. All others will have to exit the site through the Stallion Gate located off U.S. Highway 380. See Directions for more information.
A24. Yes, you are able to leave with the caravan. The caravan leaves promptly at 12:30 p.m. from the Trinity Site parking lot. The caravan is limited to the first 125 vehicles. All others will have to exit the site through the Stallion Gate located off U.S. Highway 380.
A25. Because this is a remote location do not rely on GPS for the location of Stallion Gate. GPS is not always an accurate tool to get to the site. Please follow the directions on the website or look at a traditional map.
A26. The nearest city with hotel accommodations is Socorro, New Mexico. We recommend to book your hotel reservation several months in advance as hotels do book up during open houses.
Radiation levels in the fenced, ground zero area are low. On an average the levels are only 10 times greater than the region´s natural background radiation. A one-hour visit to the inner fenced area will result in a whole body exposure of one-half to one millirem.
Typical radiation exposures for Americans per the American Nuclear Society