3 days of caves and dunes in southern New Mexico

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

1. 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.

   

   About 47 min by car22.7 mi
2. 2
   MorningWorth the time, check access

   McKittrick Canyon

   A narrow canyon with a flowing stream, bigtooth maples and oaks in a landscape of desert, known for its color in the fall. The gate hours are limited, so check ahead and get there early.

   Go when Morning, because the gate hours are short.

   Local tip The canyon is famous for its color in the fall, but its hours are limited and the walk is long, so check ahead and bring water. Keep to the path, since the canyon is a protected place.

   

3. 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 1 h 10 min by car42.4 mi
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short visit

   Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park

   A state park of Chihuahuan Desert plants and animals on the Ocotillo Hills above Carlsbad, shown in their native habitats. A calm afternoon above ground after the cave.

   Go when Afternoon, as a calm stretch after the cave.

   Local tip Allow an easy hour or two. Bring a hat and water, and check ahead on opening.

   

5. Dinner

   A road supper in Carlsbad

   Pecan-smoked meat, a plate of fajitas or a Tex-Mex dinner in Carlsbad when you arrive at dusk.

   Local tip Many kitchens close earlier than you might think on weeknights, so eat early.

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

1. Drive from Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State ParkAbout 1 h 18 min by car49.2 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   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.

   

   About 2 h 8 min by car90.7 mi
3. 2
   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.

   

4. Lunch

   Pie and a sandwich in the mountains

   A sandwich and a slice of fruit pie at a table in the pines, the right meal in a cool mountain village.

   Local tip Eat on the early side so you can start the long drive east by the early afternoon.

   About 41 min by car17.8 mi
5. 3
   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.

6. 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.

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

1. Drive from Oliver Lee Memorial State ParkAbout 46 min by car22.3 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 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 car22.5 mi
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   New Mexico Museum of Space History

   A museum and planetarium on the hillside above Alamogordo, about rockets and the people who flew them, in the region where American rockets were first tested. A cool, indoor stop after the drive from the airport.

   Go when Midday, when the sun is high and an indoor stop is welcome.

   Local tip The museum looks out over the basin where the first American rockets were tested, so look through the windows as well as at the cases. Check ahead on opening and on any planetarium shows.

   

4. 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 40 min by car17.6 mi
5. 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.