Unmatched Carlsbad Caverns National Park

First, on our trip northbound through New Mexico we stayed at Guadalupe National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and Brantley Lake State Park. These amazing places are all close to each other.

We pushed north back into New Mexico staying at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and Brantley Lake State Park.

Two days were spent in the caverns which were limestone and full of features like the picture.

Carlsbad Caverns vs. Kartchner Caverns

Carlsbad Cavern is the second cave system we have visited this year and the two different caves are very different. Our first visit while we were staying at Fort Huachuca was to Kartchner Caverns State Park in Arizona. The difference is huge — first Carlsbad is way bigger. That size thing out of the way, Kartchner Caverns is pristine and way better preserved from the effects of people. Of the two I would choose Kartchner every time.

Carlsbad Caverns has honestly been loved to death by millions of visitors over many decades. Kartchner is nearly brand new and the care that was taken in Kartchner to make keep the cave pristine, very similar to when it was first found, is so nice. Both cave systems are so distinct I am very glad we got to visit both.

Above ground at Carlsbad mostly dry sage country and daily wind. The temperature is much warmer, so we are back to shorts weather. To field a question that I anticipate about bats, all the bats move to Mexico for the winter. We didn’t see any.

Brantley lake is large and shallow on the Pecos River which we are following north to the Roswell area.

We had to limit our kayak trips to the morning because of the wind.

Here is a link to the google map for the area.

Link to our 2019 Route.

Link to our route El Paso to Colorado

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