Top 10 Places to See When Visiting Carlsbad, New Mexico
Welcome to Carlsbad
1 Carlsbad Caverns National Park — Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established first as a National Monument on October 25, 1923, and later redesignated as a National Park on May 14, 1930. The entrance to the park is located twenty miles south of Carlsbad at Whites City. The drive through the park to the visitor center allows visitors to experience animals, plants, and terrains of the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains.
We enjoyed the scenic drive and stopping at the exhibit areas to explore small canyons and caves. We spent time watching Big Horn Sheep cross the mountainside. We walked short trails to the edge of the cliffs. We marveled at the beauty of the world above the huge caverns below.
2 Carlsbad Caverns — The entrance to the caverns themselves is located in the Visitor Center seven miles from the entrance to the park. Reservations are required to be made online at www.recreation.gov. No entrance to the caverns is allowed without a reservation. There is an elevator, and the trails below are suitable for handicapped access. The self-guided walking tour is 1.3 miles.
