Carlsbad Caverns National Park, new mexico
Attractions Guide

The famous Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in an extremely remote and somewhat desolate area of Southeastern New Mexico, far away from any major cities. Other attractions in this area of New Mexico include Guadalupe Mountains National Park which spans the border with Texas, as well as the town of Roswell, which is famous for its alleged ties to aliens.

The top attraction of the Carlsbad Caverns is the 1.3 mile (2 km) Natural Entrance Trail, one of the few caverns which is accessible without a ranger. The Natural Entrance Trail takes you through part of the main cave before leading to the Big Room, a massive cavernous chamber. You can also walk an additional 1.3 miles (2 km) through the behemoth Big Room and then walk back out, or take the elevator back up from the Big Room. This elevator also serves to take people down directly into the Big Room, if you prefer to do less walking to reach it.

Be sure to make advanced reservations in order to see incredible caverns such as the King's Palace and Left Hand Tunnel, which are only accessible via ranger-led tours.

If you'd like to do smoe outdoor hiking after visiting the Carlsbad Caverns, you might consider the 3.7 mile (6 km) Devils Hall Trail, which journeys through the majestic canyons and beautiful scenery of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This national park is mostly located just over the Texas border, not far from the Carlsbad Caverns.

The city of Roswell is also a popular destination due to the infamous UFO crash that is alleged to have happened there in 1947. Downtown Roswell is where you'll find all of the exciting alien-themed shops along with the International UFO Museum, all centered around the city's Main Street.