Guadalupe Back Country Byway

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)

Established to preserve Carlsbad Cavern and numerous other caveswithin a Permian-age fossil reef, the park contains over 94 knowncaves, including Lechuguilla Cave—the nation's deepestlimestone cave at 1,567 feet (478m) and third longest.

Carlsbad Cavern, with one of the world's largest undergroundchambers and countless formations, is highly accessible, with avariety of tours offered year-round. The cavern's immense Big Roomboasts 14 acres of floor space and a 200 foot ceiling over 800 feetbelow the surface.

You'll marvel at nature's wonders including the Hall of Giants,Temple of the Sun, Crystal Spring Dome, Painted Grotto and theGrape Arbor. Enjoy this fairytale world of growing formations wherethe temperature is always 56° Tours are self-guided andcontinuous.

Directions

South of Carlsbad, New Mexico on State Road 62/180 to County Road 7 at White's City. Follow CR-7 into the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Lincoln National Forest (NM)

This Forest is known as the birthplace of the world-famous Smokey Bear, the living symbol of the campaign to prevent forest fires. The original bear is buried in Capitan, New Mexico.