Explorer I
For those who have never been to Carlsbad cavern, going near White City, or not sure if it is worth the stop.
- Thread starter Boppa's Travels
- Start date
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
This is one of my bucket list adventures, thank you for posting up pictures... i love how no ones pictures are quite the same if this famous location. Too bad you can’t camp down in there because I would stay there a week exploring.
Traveler II
Explorer I
Might take more than a week dang it is a big hole in the ground.
Explorer I
And a side note Carlsbad caverns is not in Carlsbad but 30 min drive south.
oneleglance
Rank V
Contributor II
Member III
Anyone have some nice dispersed campsites around Carlsbad they would not mind sharing? I'm thinking of taking my son down there on our way to my father's for Thanksgiving. I'd be pulling a trailer, so no crazy switch backs are tight trees.
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Jim
- Last Name
- covey sr
- Member #
16986
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- none - BREAKER BREAKER HAND HELD CB AND WALKIE TALKIE
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Jim
- Last Name
- covey sr
- Member #
16986
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- none - BREAKER BREAKER HAND HELD CB AND WALKIE TALKIE
Always nice to see good pictures. I last visited in 1973. Walked down, rode up. Always wanted to go back, ride down and walk up.
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Jim
- Last Name
- covey sr
- Member #
16986
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- none - BREAKER BREAKER HAND HELD CB AND WALKIE TALKIE
There should be some in the Guadalupe national park that is very close. There is plenty of trails in that area and a back road from Dell city to Cloudcroft that should be a good journey. Or if traveling east from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft and on s.e. to Dell city, Guadalupe and Carlsbad.
the wife and i did the caverns again a little over a year ago and while i was paying for admission, i went over to the info desk and talked to a ranger about boondocking and he showed me a map of BLM land just miles from the caverns. we did the caverns and then got back to the main road and went north a few miles and then went out in the desert and boondocked. apparently there is a lot of land in the area that fine to be on...like the ranger said, just dont cross over a fence because that is private property. we were off the main road a few miles and there was absolutely no one in sight the whole time we were there. ask the ranger at the help desk and he'll give you a printed map of what is ok to camp on. there were also a lot of dirt roads out in the desert that looked to be access roads for small oil wells.
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Joshua
- Last Name
- Downs
- Member #
20468
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KK6RBI / WQYH678
- Service Branch
- USMC 03-16, FIRE/EMS
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Tom
- Last Name
- Houston
- Member #
8300
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- WØNUT Extra
my first trip into the caverns was around 1962. Used to spelunk in caves on our property in west Texas.
Member III
Thanks. We will actually be coming from Colorado down through Roswell. I might try to find something between Roswell and Carlsbad, but that area does not look too promising.
That area looks like a good option if I need something quick.
Thanks. I'll try and look for and online BLM map for that area as I'll need a place the night before we do the caverns.
Contributor III
- 797
- First Name
- Ken
- Last Name
- Holcomb
- Member #
23227
- Service Branch
- USAF MSgt ret. 2T370
I’m from Carlsbad and have seen the caverns numerous times and they are very nice. There is another cave in the area also maintained by the forest service called new cave or slaughter canyon cave. If it hasn’t changed it’s a gated cave and you have to make a reservation with the rangers and they escort you down it’s less crowded more rustic and much more adventurous. You have to bring your own lights and I believe you have to have two you walk all the way in and out but it not a bad walk. My favorite memory of this is at the bottom the ranger has everyone turn off their light and it’s completely lightless, very neat experience. Not sure if it’s open all the time or seasonally but worth looking into.
Last edited:
Explorer I
I did Carlsbad a couple years ago with the girls. I remember nabbing a pretty epic site in the Guadalupe Mountains around 6k feet up. I don't have GPS coordinates, but it was BLM land fairly near Guadalupe National Park.
Contributor III
I saw on the news in Albuquerque yesterday that Carlsbad was closing for a while due to covid. It might be worth checking out before you head out.
Member III
Thanks for the heads up. I looked at their site yesterday and they said they were still open. I'll check/call before we head that way.
Member III
Anyone know anything about the Willian Ranch Rd/Butterfield Trail? It is in the NP, but Google shows a gate at the Hwy 62 entry point.
Member III
