2-Day Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands Itinerary

Arrival day

Before Day 1. The two parks are a long way apart, so decide your beds and your car before you land.Details

Getting here: The closest large airport to both parks is El Paso, Texas. Alamogordo, where the trip starts, is about an hour and three quarters from the airport by road. Check flights into El Paso, and plan to leave the airport as soon as you have the car.
Your car: A car is the trip. Distances are long, towns are far apart and phone signal drops out on the long stretches. Fill the tank in a town, carry plenty of water, and take a layer: the desert is hot by day and cold at night in the cooler months.
The distances: White Sands to Cloudcroft is under an hour. Cloudcroft to Carlsbad takes close to three hours, and Carlsbad to the airport at El Paso takes about three. Treat Day 2 and Day 4 as driving days with stops, not the other way round.
Where to sleep: Stay two nights around Alamogordo and two in Carlsbad. Carlsbad is about forty minutes from the cave, and the gateway at the cave itself has few rooms. Rooms near the parks fill early in the busy months, so book ahead. Day 1 begins with the museum at midday, so a morning flight into El Paso fits.

Day 1. Carlsbad and the caverns and the Guadalupe Mountains and El Paso

3 stops · 120.0 miAbout 3 h 3 min driving

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1
MorningWorth the time, go early
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
One of the great show caves of the world, in the Guadalupe Mountains. Walk down through the natural entrance or take the elevator, and spend time in the Big Room, a chamber of stalactites, columns and pools. Check how entry works before you go, because a booking system can apply.
Go when Morning, before the groups arrive.
Local tip The cave stays cool all year, so take a light layer. Check ahead on how entry works and on which routes are open, and wear shoes with grip, because the paths are wet and steep in places.
Photo: Carpenter, Kenneth, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
About 55 min by car29.3 mi
2
MiddayWorth the time
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
A mountain park in West Texas with the highest point in the state, an old stage station and a choice of trails from short strolls to a day hike. Pick a short walk from the visitor center and look up at the pale cliff of El Capitan.
Go when Midday, with a short walk.
Local tip The park has trails for a stroll and trails for a hard day, and the weather on the ridges can change fast. Pick a short walk from the visitor center and do not start a long climb late in the day.
Photo: CarlCarlsonIV, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Lunch
A trailhead picnic
A packed lunch in the shade near the visitor center, with the cliff of El Capitan above. There is no food in the park, so bring enough.
Local tip Pack out all your trash and keep food closed away from the wildlife.
About 2 h 8 min by car90.7 mi
3
MiddayA cool stop on the way
Cloudcroft
A mountain village high in the Sacramento Mountains, among pines and cooler than the desert below. A good place to stretch your legs, eat something warm and look out over the basin you have just left.
Go when Midday, when the desert below is at its hottest.
Local tip Stretch your legs on the main street and look out over the basin. Fill the tank before the long drive east, because stations are few.
Photo: Edward Jackson. on Wikimedia Commons

If it rains. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is covered, so keep it. Move Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Cloudcroft to a dry day if you can.

Day 2. Alamogordo and White Sands

3 stops · 70.7 mi

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

Drive from CloudcroftAbout 1 h by car33.6 mi
Where Day 1 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time, go early
Alkali Flat Trail
A marked trail across the dunes toward the bed of an ancient lake, with posts to follow because there is no other path. Go early, while the sand is cool and the light is low. It is a long, hot walk by midday, so turn back if the heat or wind builds.
Go when Early morning, before the wind and the heat.
Local tip Follow the posts and look behind you now and then, because the dunes all look alike. Carry more water than you think you need, and turn back if the weather turns.
About 46 min by car22.3 mi
2
AfternoonWorth a short visit
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
A canyon in the Sacramento Mountains where a spring feeds a thin line of green, with a short trail up Dog Canyon and an old ranch house from the 1800s. A quiet, shady break before the dunes.
Go when Afternoon, in the shade of the canyon.
Local tip Walk a little way up the canyon trail, where the air is cooler by the spring. Bring water, and keep to the path.
Lunch
A green chile cheeseburger
A burger with roasted green chile, the lunch of the state. A good meal to eat before an afternoon in the sun.
Local tip Ask how hot the chile is before you order, since it can surprise you.
About 37 min by car or transit14.9 mi
3
EveningGo for the late light
White Sands National Park
A sea of white gypsum dunes, the largest of its kind in the world, rolling away in the Tularosa Basin. Drive in on the dunes road, walk up a ridge and watch the sand turn pink and blue. Check the closing time before you go, and bring water.
Go when Late afternoon into the evening, with the low sun on the sand (about 6:30 PM).
Local tip The sand stays cool to bare feet because it is gypsum, not quartz, but the sun and the glare are strong, so bring sunglasses and water. The dunes road can close for storms and for tests on the missile range next door, so check ahead on the day.
Photo by Bo Mar on Unsplash
Dinner
A late supper in Alamogordo
Enchiladas, tacos or a plate of grilled meat after the dunes, with red or green chile on the side.
Local tip The answer "Christmas" to "red or green?" gets you both.

If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.

Departure day

After the last day. Day 4 ends near El Paso, so the airport is close, but leave more time than the map says.Details

The drive out: From the last stop the airport is under an hour, but road work and desert weather can slow the highway from the mountains. Fill the tank before you leave the last small town, because stations are few.
Your flight: The day before is long, with hours at the wheel. Book a flight that leaves in the afternoon or evening, and do not plan a big sight on the day you fly.
Returning the car: If you rented in El Paso, fill the tank before the airport. If you rented in another city, ask the rental company about the rules for dropping the car somewhere else.
If you have a few hours: The Franklin Mountains rise right behind El Paso, and a last coffee in the old downtown is an easy end to a long road trip.

Questions people ask

When is the best time to visit Alamogordo?

By average weather from 2021 to 2025, March to May and September to November are the most comfortable months for a desert trip to Alamogordo. This plan is built for late October, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.

How many days does this plan cover?

It covers 2 days in Alamogordo, planned for late October. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.

Who is this plan for?

It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.

Is anything on this plan booked?

No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.

Can I plan my own days like this?

Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.

Can I change this plan?

Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.

How much walking is there?

Each day has about 37.2 to 120.0 miles between its stops, and 157.1 miles in all across 2 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.