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road trip planning- white sands, carlsbad, guadalupe mtns NPs
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:50 am
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:50 am
we are steady checking national parks off our list, up to 21 now. in october (or whenever things cool off there) i was thinking of trying to get to these three, which are fairly close together. the plan would be to fly to el paso and rent a vehicle, and make a loop.
looking at these though there doesnt appear to be all that much to do there...each seems like a one day visit except guadalupe mtns. which is fine but for anyone who's been to these, i could use some advice.
any cool places to stay, see etc in those areas? i think the plan would be to backpack and camp at least one night in guadalupe. i'd rather two nights but dont want to carry all that water.
we've already been to big bend
looking at these though there doesnt appear to be all that much to do there...each seems like a one day visit except guadalupe mtns. which is fine but for anyone who's been to these, i could use some advice.
any cool places to stay, see etc in those areas? i think the plan would be to backpack and camp at least one night in guadalupe. i'd rather two nights but dont want to carry all that water.
we've already been to big bend
6
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:01 am to cgrand
I agree with you on 1 day at each other than Guadalupe. When going from White Sands, Dripping Springs near Las Cruces is well worth checking out. I like Las Cruces as a town as well. Decent food and very pretty area.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 1:08 pm to cgrand
Carlsbad Caverns is awesome, but yes, there's no need for more than a day for most people.
In Guadalupe, I've only hiked "The Bowl." It's interesting to start in desert and go up into a completely different biome in the pine forest up there that's about a mile in diameter.
In Guadalupe, I've only hiked "The Bowl." It's interesting to start in desert and go up into a completely different biome in the pine forest up there that's about a mile in diameter.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 1:36 pm to GOP_Tiger
thanks guys looking into las cruces and some hiking options now. GOP how was the hike? Did you camp?
Posted on 8/24/25 at 1:37 pm to cgrand
also we would probably spend a day at beginning or end in Juarez…I assume the best way is to walk across?
Posted on 8/24/25 at 6:23 pm to cgrand
I arrived at the Guadalupe Park Visitors Center in the afternoon of Christmas Day and was told that the forecast for the next day might include high winds, and that hiking Guadeloupe Peak and/or El Capitan (maybe the most popular hikes) would be dangerous. (I think that McKittrick Canyon might be my choice in October, but I don't think it has the same elite reputation as a winter hike.)
Anyway, the ranger suggested The Bowl, and I camped at the campground by the Visitors Center. In a counter-clockwise direction, I started at dawn and did the shorter version of this hike, cutting East along the shortcut trail across The Bowl.
I was hiking solo, and it ended up being one of the most memorable hikes of my life, as it started snowing once I got into The Bowl. The snow on the pines was beautiful, but the hike down on the back side was very dangerous, because the snow covered the trail and obscured it to the point that I couldn't tell what I was putting my feet on. I fell down at least a dozen times, and it's only by the grace of God that I didn't injure an ankle or knee and get stuck alone on the mountain. I got back to the Visitors Center about 1:00 PM, grateful.
Anyway, the ranger suggested The Bowl, and I camped at the campground by the Visitors Center. In a counter-clockwise direction, I started at dawn and did the shorter version of this hike, cutting East along the shortcut trail across The Bowl.
I was hiking solo, and it ended up being one of the most memorable hikes of my life, as it started snowing once I got into The Bowl. The snow on the pines was beautiful, but the hike down on the back side was very dangerous, because the snow covered the trail and obscured it to the point that I couldn't tell what I was putting my feet on. I fell down at least a dozen times, and it's only by the grace of God that I didn't injure an ankle or knee and get stuck alone on the mountain. I got back to the Visitors Center about 1:00 PM, grateful.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 7:04 pm to cgrand
Carlsbad is awesome. My recommendation is to walk down and ride the elevator up
Posted on 8/24/25 at 7:33 pm to GOP_Tiger
We had a similar experience in November a decade or so ago. We had left Big Bend and got to Fort Davis when a front came through, highs were about 50 with 25-30 mph winds. Next day we drove to Guadalupe NP and the weather was colder and just as windy. We were just going to do a day hike, but after a few hours returned to our car and made our way towards Carlsbad.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 7:50 pm to cgrand
We went to these 3 NP in March 2024, We didn’t do much in Guadalupe other than visit the two visitor centers and an old ranch house.
To visit CC we stayed in Artesia which is about 35 miles north of Carlsbad. We stayed there because the hotel was cheaper and it is on the way to Alamogordo. We ate at the Adobe Rose Mexican restaurant. It was pretty good.
We walked down into the cavern but took the elevator up. I think we reserved our tickets online. We just did the self guided walk of the main room but there are ranger guided walks too. We were at CC 2 to 3 hours.
White Sands is in and out. There are a few trails and one metal boardwalk. You can walk up the dunes and slide down on a disk. We probably spent an hour and 1/2 there.
We visited these NP on our way to see our granddaughter who was working at Bosque del Apache Nat. Wildlife Refuge near San Antonio, NM. If you happen to go there a must do is to get the green chile hamburger at the local hamburger place. I don’t recall the name but there is a sign on the building saying the burger was voted #7 in the US.
To visit CC we stayed in Artesia which is about 35 miles north of Carlsbad. We stayed there because the hotel was cheaper and it is on the way to Alamogordo. We ate at the Adobe Rose Mexican restaurant. It was pretty good.
We walked down into the cavern but took the elevator up. I think we reserved our tickets online. We just did the self guided walk of the main room but there are ranger guided walks too. We were at CC 2 to 3 hours.
White Sands is in and out. There are a few trails and one metal boardwalk. You can walk up the dunes and slide down on a disk. We probably spent an hour and 1/2 there.
We visited these NP on our way to see our granddaughter who was working at Bosque del Apache Nat. Wildlife Refuge near San Antonio, NM. If you happen to go there a must do is to get the green chile hamburger at the local hamburger place. I don’t recall the name but there is a sign on the building saying the burger was voted #7 in the US.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 8:02 am to nctiger71
quote:
You can walk up the dunes and slide down on a disk.
I liked White Sands. My favorite part was watching some amateur R&B group film a video on top of a dune as the camera guy fell back and slid about 10 feet.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 9:33 am to cgrand
Instead of cutting back west in Artesia, you should go north an hour to Roswell. You can spend a lot of time there. The go west through Ruidoso and Tularosa to get to White Sands. It's a more scenic drive with amenities.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 9:56 am to nctiger71
Hah. Sounds like a lot of us have experienced weather in Guadalupe. Here's my story:
Wife (girlfriend at the time) and I went there for Spring Break. The heat broke in my 4Runner on the drive, and it was pretty cold. I bundled up, she got in her sleeping bag in the passenger seat, and we cruised on out. Our plan was to hike into Pine Top campground, set up camp there then do some day hikes out from there to the Bowl and Bush Mountain. Unfortunately (proably due to the lack of heat in my vehicle) my wife got sick on the hike in. Trying to ration water when you've got a cold/flu isn't easy. We ended up just staying in the backcountry for 2 nights, hiking the Bowl and Bush Mountain, then coming back down. Good thing we did, as temperatures plummeted and we got back to the car just in time for a blizzard to roll in. Ended up going to Roswell and Carlsbad for a night each, staying in hotels instead of camping. Guadalupe is pretty amazing, though. Very cool the way it just rises out of the desert. I'd like to go back and hike El Capitaln and Guadalupe Peak sometime, but we still haven't made it back.
Wife (girlfriend at the time) and I went there for Spring Break. The heat broke in my 4Runner on the drive, and it was pretty cold. I bundled up, she got in her sleeping bag in the passenger seat, and we cruised on out. Our plan was to hike into Pine Top campground, set up camp there then do some day hikes out from there to the Bowl and Bush Mountain. Unfortunately (proably due to the lack of heat in my vehicle) my wife got sick on the hike in. Trying to ration water when you've got a cold/flu isn't easy. We ended up just staying in the backcountry for 2 nights, hiking the Bowl and Bush Mountain, then coming back down. Good thing we did, as temperatures plummeted and we got back to the car just in time for a blizzard to roll in. Ended up going to Roswell and Carlsbad for a night each, staying in hotels instead of camping. Guadalupe is pretty amazing, though. Very cool the way it just rises out of the desert. I'd like to go back and hike El Capitaln and Guadalupe Peak sometime, but we still haven't made it back.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 12:17 pm to GOP_Tiger
quote:
Carlsbad Caverns
Absolutely.
Giant pistachio in Alamogordo. Get drunk in Roswell at night.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 2:15 pm to Lakeboy7
great info everyone thanks to you all.
The travel board always comes through
The travel board always comes through
Posted on 8/25/25 at 2:38 pm to cgrand
Catch Cloudcroft and then up to Ruidoso between White sands and Carlsbad. Cool towns and really scenic drives up high in the mountains.
Beautiful places up there.
Beautiful places up there.
Posted on 8/25/25 at 4:32 pm to Pfft
like this?
Posted on 8/26/25 at 1:39 pm to cgrand
Yes ! That big valley between the two towns reminds me of the TV show Bonanza scenery.
Posted on 8/26/25 at 1:57 pm to Pfft
thx
would you stay the night in cloudcroft or ruidoso? (after white sands)
would you stay the night in cloudcroft or ruidoso? (after white sands)
Posted on 8/26/25 at 5:43 pm to texas tortilla
right on
ruidoso looks great and there’s a town festival on oct 4
ruidoso looks great and there’s a town festival on oct 4
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