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Sign in with FacebookLatest Carlsbad hotel reviews
Pro
Carlsbad Caverns, Living Desert State Park & the Pecos River
Con
HOT in summer, unattractive desert (not Sonoran)
In a nutshell
A wonderful place for people that enjoy nature.
BruceDunning Says: The cave is almost on another planet-way out there off Hwy 62/180. Traffic can back up on this highway. The big cave opening is 8.2 acres for the Big Room. It is about 1 mile trek through this part. The other way in is the Natural Entrance which is the large opening when the...
Carlsbad Caverns NP is only a short drive away
Bwana_Brown Says: It is only a 27-mile drive from the city of Carlsbad to Carlsbad Caverns National Park via Highway 62/180 and a short road into the Visitor's Building, so I made use of my next Sunday off-day to explore this natural wonder for myself.I decided to enter the hard way - walking...
They had quite a collection of local animals too
Bwana_Brown Says: I was really taken aback by the number of animals the Park had living in various sections through which the walking trail winds. They started out with several Javelinas (type of wild pig) then had Porcupines, Foxes and a large Black Bear that was just retreating back into...
The river that crosses itself!
Bwana_Brown Says: The city of Carlsbad, with a present population of about 26,000 residents, started out in 1888 as a town called Eddy but later changed its name to Carlsbad after its nearby mineral springs evoked comparisons with a European spa of the same name. At the same time as Eddy was...
A really impressive walking tour
Bwana_Brown Says: Leaving the rear of the Visitor Center, the Park is all set-up with a 1.3-mile (2-km) walking trail that winds its way up and down and around the property as it takes visitors through various types of habitat. With the changes in elevation provided by the hill, several...
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park
Bwana_Brown Says: In doing a bit of research into the attractions of Carlsbad, the one that seemed to top all the lists for the city itself was a visit to Living Desert State Park, located on a hilltop at the northwest edge of the town and within sight of our accommodations! They are open...
Enjoy the Pecos River in downtown Carlsbad
Bwana_Brown Says: I had often heard the expression 'west of the Pecos' in various cowboy and Indian movies while growing up - it meant that you were really in the Wild West if you had made it that far. As a result, I was very satisfied to finally be able to see the real thing - flowing...
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Carlsbad
1 Review and 132 Opinions A sudden 3-day business trip to Carlsbad, New Mexico found me in the state for the first time since...
84 Opinions
The No Whiner Diner: Great Home Cooking
Basaic Says: This is a family owned place with a homey atmosphere; old photos on the walls including Marilyn Monroe, old coke and Dr. Pepper signs, etc. Many of the staff have a similar look so maybe they are family. My waitress was named Steph and she was cute with a great smile,...
Halfway Watering Place: In the middle of nowhere
Bwana_Brown Says: Going from one extreme to the other, the Halfway Watering Place is located in the middle of nowhere on NM Highway 62/180 between Carlsbad and Hobbs (almost at the Texas border). It seems to be a major marshalling place for tanker semi-trailers filling up with the liquid gold...
Chili's: Good food and atmosphere
Bwana_Brown Says: During my 3+ weeks in Carlsbad, the local version of the large Chilis chain of restaurants was the eating establishment that the guys with me most frequented. It seemed very popular with the local residents as well and its parking lot was almost always nearly full. Even so,...
We used rental trucks to get around
Bwana_Brown Says: Six of us from the company I work for had flown into Albuquerque, New Mexico - about a 5-hour drive distant from the town of Carlsbad. As a result, we rented two trucks (since we all had luggage as well as work gear with us for our three week stay in the area) for the...
Bwana_Brown Says: The first dealings our company had with the potash mines in New Mexico was when their executives asked a small group of us to fly down for a 3-day first-hand look at their facilities. They arranged for this Beechcraft King Air 200 to fly five of us plus one of their...
Helpfulness
Text By Ann House:
Thrusting up from the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert, the Guadalupe Mountains form the leading edge of an ancient reef that conceals one of the great natural wonders of the world - Carlsbad Caverns.
Briney waves of an inland sea 250 million years ago provided a favorable environment for marine plants and animals to flourish. Their limey remains, along with calcium carbonate from the water, built up a reef which grew upwards & outwards while, for millions of years, the entire region subsided. The channels supplying water from the ocean closed and water evaporated faster than it was replaced. Salts and gypsum filled the basin. Eons passed. The earth stirred, and the reef, which today forms the Guadalupe Mountains, reared skyward (20 to 40 million years ago.) Dissolution of the limestone began as water carried the material away, creating a honeycomb of openings. Further uplifting & tilting, 2 to 4 million years ago, raised the area again, allowing the groundwater to drain away which left air-filled openings. Decoration of the caverns began.
In the late 1800's, someone reported having seen a cloud swirling up from the desert: smoke? No, bats! Soon bat guano mining was booming near the cave entrance. Few ventured deeper into the caverns, except James Larkin White, an employee of the guano mining company. He challenged the darkness with his miner's lantern and returned with stories of wonder. As others followed Jim White, it was soon realized that a national treasure existed beneath the craggy surface of the mountainous desert. In October, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge signed a proclamation creating Carlsbad Cave National Monument. Then, on May 14, 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed the bill to establish Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Updated Jan 22, 2003
Bwana_Brown Says: On our first fact-finding trip to the potash mine, we noticed this Tarantula spider keeping an eye on us from the wall of one of the electrical switchgear buildings. These large spiders occur worldwide, with the ones inhabiting Southwestern USA being a bit smaller than most,...
smoox Says: Do NOT touch the limestone structures. With every fingertip of limestone, you destroy the work of hundreds of years.Also, do NOT leave the paths. The cave system isn´t fully explored yet, and they might never find you.
Bwana_Brown Says: I was not really expecting to see much wildlife at the mine site! However, this Desert Cottontail, a member of the rabbit family, seemed to have settled in for good amongst some old sections of metal electrical switchgear cabinets that had been hauled out for junk and were...
Bwana_Brown Says: This photo shows me 1600-ft down, in front of the 'cage' that carries men and equipment up and down. My typical kit was worn by all our employees who ended up spending time underground at the mine. The coveralls are designed to resist a certain amount of energy in the event...
bocmaxima Says: Just to the southeast of town, in the opposite direction of Carlsbad Caverns and on a little-used state highway, lie several stunning alkali flats.Alkali flats are essentially dry lake beds where salt has accumulated. After a light rain, they become a gorgeous, shimmering...
Not very inspiring countryside
Bwana_Brown Says: I'd have to say that the rolling terrain of southeast New Mexico is some of the least attractive I have seen anywhere. My earlier trip to New Mexico involved the central to northeast part of the state, a beautiful mountainous area with lots of trees and river valleys...
Sharrie Says: Look out for Draperies.The creation of each formation depended on water that dripped or seeped down into the limestone bedrock & into the cave. Draperies were hung where water ran down a slanted ceiling.
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Carlsbad - a unique experience for me!
My chance to experience the small city of Carlsbad came as a result of a sudden work opportunity that was offered the company I work for in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was July, 2008 and prices...
Sharrie's Carlsbad Caverns 4th Dimension
CARLSBAD CAVERNS - 750 feet below ground (!!!), referred to as "The 8th Wonder of the World" & one of the 20 World Heritage sites in U.S., is a marvel sight; not only because of its size & dimension...
In the south of New Mexico is an underground world full of wonders. Do you dare leave the surface of the earth and step into dark, miraculous caves?
I visited Carlsbad in 1988 on a big trip that covered much of the United States. I have just two tips on the area.
Build your own Carlsbad page
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