Days 11 & 12 - Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM; Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX; White Sands National Park; NM

jeannietamburo
Apr 15, 2025
3 min read

As we pulled up to Carlsbad Caverns in the middle of the day, Mother Nature decided to throw us a curveball with a delightful mix of wind, sleet, and snow. We watched in awe as some fearless barberry sheep braved the elements, proving that animals have more guts than us sometimes as we abandoned our hike. But when we finally made it to the entrance of the caverns, our hopes of a leisurely stroll were dashed by a layer of ice.

To add insult to injury, the pesky wind decided to throw a wrench in the works by sending the elevators to the caverns into a tizzy, leaving us stranded at the surface. Just as we were starting to resign ourselves to our fate, we got lucky - one of the elevators miraculously sprang back to life, offering us a thrilling 750-foot plunge into the depths below. If you have a fear of elevators, you might want to reconsider this little escapade.

Exploring the expansive caverns required a bit of time and effort, but the trip back to the surface was a breeze. These caves are unlike most caverns, as their formations were created by sulfuric acid eating away at the limestone instead of the usual carbonic acid. Exiting the cave, we were greeted by a brutal wind chill of 15 degrees and near white-out conditions - not exactly ideal for a late afternoon stroll. To warm back up, we made our way to the city of Carlsbad for some spicy Mexican food, the perfect way to wrap up our chilly adventure. And with memories of our underground journey still fresh in our minds, it was time to trek back to our RV park.

Let's give Steve a round of applause, folks! I was all cozy under my blanket, perfectly content with parking and chilling, but he braved the elements and made sure we were all set. Steve, you're a real MVP!

Carlsbad Caverns, Barberry Sheep, Inside Carlsbad Caverns, Inside Carlsbad Caverns, Inside Carlsbad Caverns

The following day, despite the lingering chill, the snow and wind had disappeared. We decided to venture over to our next national park the Guadalupe Mountains, but the idea of hiking was quickly nixed due to the unpredictable weather and we also wanted to make it to White Sands National Park for sunset. Fun fact: Carlsbad is actually nestled within the Guadalupe mountain range, making these two parks close neighbors. The land for Guadalupe was generously donated by two ranchers to the government back in the 1970s. This place is a geologist's paradise, with its fascinating history as part of a long-lost sea that once had a reef made of algae and microbes instead of your typical coral. Cool, right?

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Scenic Pics

We cruised through Guadalupe National Park (saw a cow, very exotic) and then made our way to White Sands. Opting for the scenic route, we drove through the picturesque Lincoln National Forest, surrounded by majestic ponderosa pines. As we descended into the valley, the glistening white sands of White Sands National Park came into view. Let me tell you, pictures just don't do it justice – it's a sight to behold. These unique white sands were formed by the same ancient sea that once covered the Guadalupe Mountains, leaving behind deposits of gypsum. And get this, despite the scorching heat, the white sand that remains is chilly even in the scorching heat.

So, our grand plans for a sunset ranger walk got cancelled, but we made the best of it by hiking the nature trail and practicing our golf swings with mini whiffle balls on a sand dune. My form is a little rusty.🏌️‍♀️

The sunset did not disappoint, and we were left in awe as we made our way to our cute little RV spot for the night in Las Cruces, NM.