Camping near Carlsbad caverns

[Rob&Deryl]

On our trek west we want to visit Carlsbad caverns. The nearest commercial campgrounds appear to be up by Roswell. I read about a BLM (I think) “parking lot” near Carlsbad.

Anyone have some wisdom to share?

 

[Isaac-1]

There is / was a not so great (by reputation) commercial RV park by the entrance to the national park, in Whites city. Nearest Hotel to Carlsbad Caverns National Park | Pool & Waterslides I have driven by it, but never stayed there. I am fairly sure there are others around Carlsbad, we just drove through there a month ago (Artesia, NM to Fort Stockton. TX), Just north of the city of Carlsbad there is a KOA, and also some place called The Ranch RV park, maybe others, I was not paying that much attention as we had spent a few days in the mountains near Cloudcroft (Cool Pines RV park in Mayhill to be exact), and were stopping in Fort Stockton that night...

 

[Larry N.]

Here's the listing of what Allstays Campgrounds shows: Campgrounds Carlsbad New Mexico NM | Campgrounds & RV Parks Guide

 

[Ro and Joe]

We stayed at the KOA north of town. Bring bottled water and the water also very hard (if I recall correctly)

 

[SeilerBird]

And don't bring your camera. The idiots in charge of the bat flight every night will not allow flash photography as millions of bats leave the cave for a night time of hunting. I asked why and was told the high frequency of the camera will throw off the echo location of the bats. Two months later I spent several nights on the Congress St bridge photographing the bats as they flew out from under the bridge at less than two feet from them and they didn't appear to have any problems. I have since then attended two different bat programs in science centers and in both programs I talked to the bat experts about the sound of a digital camera hurting the bat's echo location abilities. All of them said it was hog wash, something they had never heard of.

 

[Isaac-1]

This probably dates back to the days of BIG strobe units on 35mm cameras where you could hear the high pitch squeal of the photo strobe charging

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I recall there's an escapees RV park near the caverns. Lakewood NM.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

RV Park at White's City. That is where I stayed, quite close to the caverns. Can even hike to the caverns from there if you have the time. 3.7 miles one way. But I went there on my electric motorcycle on the paved road, but also did some hiking. Besides, I did the hike in and out of the caverns, didn't use the elevator.

They have both boondock as well as full hookups. By far, most at the full hookups. I was alone out in their boondock area, no need to use a headphone with my ham radio stuff out there during the night. I was far from all the other RVs. Plenty of room there, I don't think that place is ever full, and the boondock area there had NOBODY except for me.

And at least there, they said I can dump my tanks for free at any of the unused full hookup sites on the way out.

Nice restaurant right across the street, too.

I see the RV park has a lot of negative reviews, but I had no complaints at all.

That was three or so years ago, on my way back from the Big Bend of Texas. The worse paved road I ever been on. The countless large potholes are impossible to miss. I believe that is what bent up my stirring rods and made my wheel alignment impossible. But I made it back okay.

Just stay out of that part of Texas (unless they repaired the road). The same road is fine when once in NM.

-Don- Reno, NV