The Ultimate Guide to Visiting White Sands National Park with Kids
Rolling white sand dunes in a vast expanse and framed by mountains on either side: you can’t ask for a prettier location than White Sands National Park for your next family vacation!
This incredible place is located outside of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and offers hours of sand sledding, hiking, picnicking, and exploration.
If your kids love the beach, but you want something that’s different than any place you’ve ever seen, head to White Sands.
In our comprehensive guide below, you’ll find everything you need to create a wonderful experience at White Sands National Park as you hike, sled, and adventure your way into lifelong memories.
You’ll get important arrival tips, the best things to do in White Sands National Park with kids, nearby accommodations and camping suggestions, what to bring on your visit, and much more.
My son takes a break from sledding at White Sands National Park
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White Sands National Park: An Overview
Before we dive into what to do with your kids while you’re here, let’s focus on where you’re going.
White Sands National Park spans 176,000 acres to the west of Alamogordo, New Mexico. This places the park due south of Santa Fe, which is about a 3.5 hour drive from here.
The area directly surrounding the national park is fairly remote, though not nearly as much as the state’s other park, Carlsbad Caverns. You’ll be able to find grocery stores, restaurants, campgrounds, and other things to do in nearby Alamogordo.
It’s one of the United States’ newest national parks, having made the upgrade in 2019 from its previous (and long standing) status as national monument. The only park newer is New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, which got its upgrade in 2020.
Sand Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
If you’ve ever been to the beach mid-day in the summer, you’ve felt how hot the sand can get on the bottom of your feet.
Unlike the silica-based sand at most beaches, the sand here at White Sands National Park is gypsum. Gypsum reflects heat instead of absorbing it, so, while the air will get very hot the summer, the sand beneath your feet will stay cool.
The process of the gypsum getting here is another fascinating story if you’re into geology. What you see at the park was once part of an ancient ocean bed, which was then crushed and tossed by the wind into the tiny sand particles you see today.
It’s an incredible testament to the power of the wind over time. When you visit White Sands National Park, you’re visiting the world’s largest gypsum dune field!
Today, those dunes are not only beautiful for visitors to see, but they host a wide variety of animals like the bleached earless lizard who have adapted to live in the dry conditions of the desert.
A place in aerospace history
Less than 10 miles from the national park’s visitors center is the Holloman Air Force Base.
The base’s presence might just seem like a part of larger Alamogordo, but it is actually closely tied with the property, pre-national park.
The Manhattan Project, the top secret group behind the creation of the atomic bomb during World War II, had several key locations in New Mexico, including in Los Alamos (above Santa Fe) and here, in what is now White Sands National Park.
In July 1945, the first ever test of an atomic bomb was completed at the far end of what is now the White Sands Missile Range, and at the opposite end of this area from where the national park visitors center now sits.
That is called the Trinity Site, and, while it isn’t in the national park, you can visit it on the one day it’s open each year in October.
It’s a fascinating tie-in to space history and World War II if your child is interested in either of those. (My younger kid, who wants to be an astrophysicist, definitely was!)
The White Sands Missile Range remains active, though you won’t see any more atomic bomb practice going on. You will, however, find that the modern day missile testing and flight maneuvers will cause road closures to the park from Alamogordo.
Thankfully, these road closures tend to happen early in the morning and only last for an hour or so.
Is White Sands National Park Good to Visit with Kids?
My kids searching for the perfect sledding spot
Yes, White Sands National Park makes for a great destination for the entire family.
It’s proximity to Alamogordo means that you’ll still have plenty of creature comforts like hotels and places to eat, but the dune field remains wild feeling.
You won’t find long scenic drives here like you do in Glacier National Park or Acadia National Park, so there’s a lot of time out of the car and actively adventuring.
This is great for active kids who want to run and play instead of looking out of the window at scenic views.
The relatively compact nature of the front country activities makes this park feel much more manageable than the bigger parks, which is helpful if you’re a beginner to visiting the U.S. national parks.
When is the Best Time for a Family Vacation to White Sands?
The dune field is so vast that even the main road gets lost in it!
I think that the best times to visit White Sands is in the late spring/early summer as the day time temperatures warm up, and then again in the early fall as things start to cool off a little after the summer.
However, I know that those times don’t always line up with your child’s school schedules and your days off from work. If you’re able to swing a spring break or fall break trip, that’s when I’d recommend going.
If you can’t, the park is beautiful year round, though you’ll have to deal with a few weather related concerns at other times of the year.
Year-Round Adventure
Visiting in the late spring/early summer or early fall ensures that your family will have beautiful, sunny days perfect for sand sledding, and cool nights by the campfire.
If you go during the winter months, you will still have pleasant days, but the desert nights in the winter plummet to around freezing. You might see some snow, but that’s not consistent.
During the summer, the weather warms up drastically with temperatures pushing 100 degrees F mid-day. Because of the white sand reflecting the sunlight back up, it is very easy to get sunburned or dehydrated, so take extra precautions.
Do I need reservations?
Unlike other national parks that require access reservations (like the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida) or vehicle reservations like Arches National Park in Utah, White Sands National Park does not require any pre-planning to enter.
Once you get to the park on your arrival day, you will also need to purchase a 7-day park pass or show your annual pass.
As a note on that, the NPS annual pass is well worth it if you’re visiting 2 or more NPS sites—including national historic sites, national seashores, national battlefields, and national memorials—in one 12 month period.
We are avid parkgoers and have saved hundreds of dollars using our annual pass!
You can bundle your NPS annual pass with an annual subscription to AllTrails+ for even more savings.
How long does my family need to spend at White Sands National Park?
If you are only interested in seeing Dunes Drive and doing a short amount of sand sledding or a single hike, you could do this park in a day.
That being said, I think you need a full day to more completely explore the park. Having that full day will allow you to attend a ranger program, let your kids complete the Junior Ranger booklets, have a picnic, do 1-2 short hikes, and play in the dune field without being rushed.
See my 1 day itinerary in White Sands National Park to learn how best to organize the top highlights here.
However, if you’d like to add in additional ranger programs like the Lake Lucero tour, multiple short hikes, or a longer hike like Alkali Flats, you’ll want to tack on a second day.
You can tie in White Sands National Park into a larger New Mexico national parks road trip to see everything from lava tubes to ancient caves to the secret Manhattan project laboratory.
Tips for Visiting White Sands National Park with Kids
Desert flowers blooming in the dune field
As a mom who travels constantly with her kids, I know that family vacations come with their own unique set of challenges and triumphs.
You’re not just thinking about when to catch sunset from that viewpoint, you’re also weighing your child’s nap time with how grumpy they might be if you skip it today.
You’re getting ready for that hike your friend recommended at the national park, but you’re also worrying where you’ll be able to find diapers in the tiny towns on the park’s outskirts.
With all of that in mind, I’ve put together some tips for White Sands National Park that will keep everyone happy, well-fed, and comfortable during your family’s time here.
The park is fairly rural but still accessible.
I say “fairly” rural because you do have Alamogordo just 10 miles or so to the east, and there are several smaller towns to the west and northeast of the park. El Paso is about an hour and a half to the south, and I-25 access is available in Las Cruces, NM, about an hour from the entrance.
You’ll also find long stretches of road above Tularosa on the northeast corner of the park that’s the gateway to some of the most remote roadways we’ve driven so far in the U.S. (it goes toe-to-toe with Utah Rout 24, which is gorgeous but desolate!).
You can find groceries in Alamogordo.
Thanks to the military base nearby, Alamogordo has a decent number of grocery stores for a town its size.
There’s an Albertson’s Market, a Walmart Super Center, a Lowe’s Supermarket, and a Walmart Market.
Between all of those, and the local Walgreen’s, you should be able to find anything you or your kids need while you’re visiting here, from diapers and formula to extra clothes and snacks.
The closest airport is Las Cruces International Airport.
There is a tiny regional airport in Alamogordo, but you’re better off looking for flights at Las Cruces International Airport, which is about an hour southwest of the park.
Another option would be to fly into the Roswell Air Base, which is a bit further away at 2.5 hours from the park.
If you’re okay with an even longer drive, you’ll find the cheapest and most frequent flights from the El Paso International Airport, but you’ll then need to drive 1.5 hours.
All of these are closer options than the Albuquerque International Sunport, which is 3.5 hours from White Sands.
Still, depending on your other trip plans, you may want to run a cost-benefit analysis on which of these locations works best.
You will need a rental car.
There aren’t any public transportation routes from the airports above into White Sands, and the park itself doesn’t have shuttles or other transportation.
For this reason, you’ll need a rental car to get to the park and then around Alamogordo.
You can rent a car right from any of the airports above, but we suggest booking ahead to ensure you’ll have a vehicle available.
The main park area is found along Dunes Drive.
There is an 8-mile paved 2-lane road from the visitors center into the heart of the dune field.
Dunes Drive is the only way to access the park by vehicle, and it’s the only place other than the main visitors center parking lot that vehicles are allowed.
As the road cuts through the dunes, there is often sand shifting across the road, to the point that the park regularly has to clear off sections of Dunes Drive.
The drive has everything you need for a great day at the park, including picnic areas, parking areas, trailheads, and vault toilets.
At mile 8, you’ll find a large loop that will then turn you back towards the visitors center.
Wear the right clothing.
Hats and long sleeved sun shirts are a must!
While the gypsum sand feels cool and wonderful while you’re running around in it, that bright white dune field is almost guaranteed to give you a sunburn.
All of that gypsum reflects the light back up onto you, so you and your kids should be prepared for that, even on a cooler day.
Temperatures in June, July, and August can soar into the upper 90s and low 100s. That intense heat combined with the reflection from the gypsum will cause visitors to burn far faster than you’d think.
While we were visiting, we saw many people enjoying the dunes who clearly weren’t accounting for the climate and reflection. They were so red by mid-day that I knew they were going to be hurting come night fall.
Don’t let the sun and sand ruin your vacation!
Bring sunscreen for your time exploring the dune field. A wide brimmed hat and long sleeved sun shirt is also a good idea. We love these lightweight, inexpensive kids’ sunshirts from Amazon.
For shoes, a hiking sandal like the Keen Newport H2s work well here as they have vents on the side that the sand can run out of.
Though, honestly, your kids will probably ditch their shoes the minute they get into the dune field, and the cool gypsum will not burn their feet.
Compare hiking boots, trail runners, and hiking sandals here if you’re unsure about what types of footwear work best in different hiking situations.
Set aside (a lot of) time for sledding.
I had as much fun sledding as my kids did!
My children were up at dawn each day we were in Alamogordo, asking me when the park opened.
They were so excited to go sand sledding that they would barely eat their breakfast before they had their sand saucers in hand.
While White Sands National Park has many things for your family to do, prepare to spend a good portion of your time here sand sledding with your kids.
We found that the sledding here was much easier and smoother than that at Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, and that we could really zoom down the dunes if we used the same path again and again.
You can buy or rent sand sleds in the park, but we were able to borrow them from the front desk at our campground, the highly recommended Alamosa/White Sands KOA. Don’t forget to wax the bottom of the saucer for an even faster zip down the dunes.
For more White Sands sledding tips and tricks, check out my complete guide.
There are limited food options in the park.
There’s no sit-down or counter service restaurants inside White Sands National Park, so you have just 2 options if you get hungry:
Grab a pre-made, packaged sandwich from the park’s snack counter, or
Bring your own picnic.
(See more below about both of these options.)
If neither of those options sounds appealing, you’ll want to make time in your day to head back to Alamogordo to eat at one of the restaurants there. You’ll want to allot at least 1.5-2 hours out of your day to get there, eat, and head back into White Sands.
Ready to plan?
For even more help on planning your vacation here, check out my free and extensive collection of White Sands National Parks resource posts!
10 Best Things to Do in White Sands National Park with Kids
While it might be tempting to meander along Dunes Drive in your car and declare the park done, there’s SO much more to do and see here.
Surface Hiking in White Sands National Park
Best for: ages 6 and up (if hiking independently)
The Interdune Boardwalk at sunset | source
I don’t think most visitors to this park even realize that White Sands has hiking trails, but they’re a fantastic way to get a scope of the dune field and the animals and plants that make their home here.
TIP: It’s always helpful to get up-to-the minute notes on hiking trails, so I recommend scoping out the area trails on AllTrails+ before you go.
Here are some kid-friendly trails to tackle while you’re visiting White Sands National Park:
Dune Life Nature Trail, 1 mile
Playa Trail, 0.5 miles
Interdune Boardwalk, 0.4 miles
These are all front country trails that are well marked.
The Dune Life Nature Trail and the Interdune Boardwalk also have interpretive materials to help your family learn more about the park’s unique ecosystem.
The half-mile Playa Trail showcases an area of the park that’s affected by even small amounts of rain. When the summer rains come to this part of New Mexico, this dry-looking area actually becomes a small, shallow lake!
You can access all of these from Dunes Drive. There are signs along the road that indicate where you can park for each trailhead.
NOTE: Remember that these trails are all completely exposed to the elements. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing.
Attending a Ranger Program
Best for: ages 7 and up
These programs are fantastic to diving more deeply into one area of the park’s landscape, geology, history or wildlife.
To make them even more irresistible, they’re free or very low cost, so you can add them to your itinerary without affecting your budget.
Each week, the park hosts several ranger-led talks that change according to whose working, that person’s speciality, and the season. You can check to see where these talks are meeting around the park and what time they start at the visitors center front desk.
While the rotating ranger chats can cover a variety of park-related topics, there are some consistent programs that occur regularly.
Every weekend, rangers will lead a sunset walk through the dunes. These are available Friday-Sunday evenings. You’ll get to see how the dunes change colors as they reflect the sunset, and it’s a beautiful time of day to see the dune field.
You don’t need reservations for the rotating topic talks or the sunset walks. Just meet the lead ranger at the time and place advertised. These are also free.
Once a month, you can experience the park at night and under the full moon. These hikes are magical as you get to see the park as few people do.
There is a small cost for this hike ($8 per adult and $4 per child), but I think it’s well worth this unique experience. Book your tickets ahead of time on Recreation.gov.
Full Moon Nights Fun
Best for: all ages
The park really leans into the full moon evenings, so if you don’t want to do the nighttime hike, or you can’t get tickets, there’s another option.
In the park’s amphitheatre, you’ll find live concerts and speakers. The park even stays open extra hours on these select nights so that visitors can see the full moon as it rises.
If you can make it worth with your child’s nap/sleep schedule, these are fun evenings to get a little bit extra out of the park.
These evenings are free with park admission.
See dates for the 2026 Full Moon Nights here.
The Scenic Drive
Best for: all ages
Heading into the dune field via Dunes Drive
The short but sweet Dunes Drive is essential for getting the lay of the land while you’re in White Sands National Park.
If you’re very limited on time, you could simply drive through the park, walk into the dune field for a minute, and then head onto your next stop.
That being said, don’t let that be the extent of your family’s time here as the park is best explored with more time!
Use Dunes Drive as the backbone of your itinerary, determining which hikes and areas you’d like to explore at each point.
The best dunes for sledding are towards the back of Dunes Drive, so don’t think you have to hop out at the first dune you spot!
Lake Lucero Driving Tour
Best for: ages 9 and up
This ranger-led tour is offered 8 times a year during the fall, winter, and early spring.
You’ll caravan to the program’s starting point with the ranger and the rest of your small group to Lake Lucero, which is at the bottom right corner of the park, about 25 miles from the visitors center.
Here, you’ll learn about the ancient lakes that created the gypsum dunes you now see in the park, and you’ll see that process continuing today at Lake Lucero.
Interestingly, you’ll have to hike through a portion of the White Sands Missile Range to get to the lake. For security reasons, you can’t take pictures or videos during this part of the hike, but you will be given the go-ahead once you’re at the lake.
If your family might be interested in the short Playa Trail in the main area of the park, then you should consider getting tickets for the Lake Lucero experience, too.
The entire tour, including transport time and hike, takes around 3 hours, which is why I’ve recommended this for kids 9 and up. Younger kids are welcome on the tour, but I think that they won’t get as much out of it as upper elementary aged children and above.
See 2026 dates here.
You’ll need to pre-purchase tickets at Recreation.gov. Ticket sales open up about 4 weeks before the tour takes place, and they get snapped up quickly.
Sand Sledding
Best for: 4 and up
Flying down the dunes in her sledding saucer
If your kids only remember one thing about the park, it will be this!
While running up and down the dunes is fun, sand sledding takes your experience to another level, and your kids will want to sled for as long as you’ll let them.
Head to at least mile 6 on Dunes Drive for the best dunes. Look for dunes that are free of vegetation with a steeper incline.
You can rent or buy sleds at the park store, but they are pricey for what you get. If you can plan ahead, see if your hotel or campground rents the saucers out. Or, you can stop by the Walmart Superstore on the way to the park and pick one up there.
Go with a saucer and not a toboggan-style sled. The saucers balance much better on the soft, fine gypsum and help you pick up speed.
It’s so fun that everyone in the family will want to take a turn! My dad and I ended up sailing down the dunes nearly as much as the kids did.
Park Film
Best for: 6 and up
If your kids are old enough to learn a little about the park, but aren’t quite ready to tackle an hour long ranger program, the park film is a great place to start!
The White Sands theatre is located in the visitors center past the front desk and gift shop area. It can hold about 30 people or so, and it usually isn’t packed.
In this free movie, you’ll learn about the ways that wind and water helped to shape the unique ecosystem here, and how those processes are continuing to mold the park.
The film is shown continuously throughout the visitors center’s open hours, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to see it from the start.
Junior Ranger program
Best for: 4 and up
We love the NPS Junior Ranger programs, and my kids have gotten badges from the national parks across the U.S.!
These programs are usually free—or very low cost—and they’re an amazing way to get your kids to go beyond the surface material about the park. The only park that’s charged us for the booklet was Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which I imagine is to help cut down on overall printing costs since so many people come through there every year.
The booklet at White Sands, and nearly every other park we’ve visited, is free. You just need to ask for your copy at the front desk in the visitors center.
When you receive your booklet, your kids will be assigned a specific number of pages to complete based on their ages.
After they complete those, they can bring the booklet back to the informational desk to get sworn in by a ranger.
For their work, they’ll get a wooden badge custom to that particular park.
They can attach their pin to a sun hat, a Junior Ranger vest, or a backpack. These are such fun souvenirs!
Explore even more in the Southwest with these outdoor family activities:
Where to Eat in White Sands National Park with Kids
A covered picnic shelter off of Dunes Drive
Since White Sands National Park is on the smaller side, it doesn’t have the amenities that sprawling parts like Grand Teton in Wyoming or Yosemite in California have.
You do have a few options, or you can drive back into Alamogordo for your meals.
Learn more about those options at White Sands below.
Snack Counter at White Sands Trading Company
The park’s single food offering is one small snack counter, but that’s honestly being nice to call it that.
In reality, a back corner of the gift shop has been stocked with pre-made sandwiches, soft drinks (both bottled and fountain), bottled water, and some other grab-and-go snacks.
You can also pick up a cup of coffee and a cookie, but don’t expect a full meal here.
If your child is at all picky, you’re going to want to skip this area entirely, or, at the very least, have some back-up options.
Picnic areas
The best way to keep your kids’ stomachs full while you’re exploring White Sands is to pack a picnic.
You’ll find coolers at Albertson’s and the Walmart Superstore if you weren’t able to bring one from home, and you can then pack sandwiches, salads, pre-made deli items, fruit, chips, or whatever else your family would like.
There are dedicated picnic areas throughout the park, including an area next to the visitors center, and 3 accessible from Dunes Drive: Primrose, Roadrunner, and Yucca Picnic Areas.
The ones in the dune field are covered with metal sheeting to protect picnickers from the overhead sun, and the design has a retro-futuristic flair. You’ll also find charcoal grills available in the picnic areas if you want to cook burgers, hot dogs, or similar.
The picnic areas in the dune field have plenty of space for the kids to play or sled while you’re working on your meal. There’s ample free parking next to the shelters, too.
Recommended Places to Stay with Kids near White Sands
White Sands National Park doesn’t have an onsite lodge or front country campground.
It had a backcountry camping option that was accessible from Dunes Drive up until recently.
The park’s backcountry sites are being refurbished, so they’re closed indefinitely while that process is underway.
So, as of the writing of this article, there are no ways to camp or stay overnight in the park.
That’s okay, though!
Having Alamogordo so close to the park means you still have plenty of hotel and camping options within a 20-30 minute drive from the visitors center.
On pedal carts at th Alamogordo KOA
We stayed at the Alamogordo/White Sands KOA in Alamogordo, and really enjoyed our stay.
While the park doesn’t have the best views we’ve ever experienced, the owners are some of the kindest, most welcoming people we’ve met on our travels.
The KOA is clean and extremely well kept, and your kids can rent pedal bikes, swim in the seasonal pool, or play on the playground. The game room is packed, too, with a little free library, movie library and communal movie area, coloring space, baby toys, and much more.
>> See all of my interactive map of the campground reviews from across the U.S. here! <<
If you prefer to stay in a hotel, I recommend the Home2 Suites by Hilton Alamogordo White Sands.
You’ll get separate living and sleeping spaces here, so you don’t have to sit in a dark room for the rest of the evening after your toddler gets to sleep.
There is a small kitchenette in the suites, too, which makes prepping picnics and packing snacks so much easier than in a traditional hotel room. We like having the flexibility to make meals in our hotel room, which allows us to eat healthier and save money.
For the evenings after you’re doing exploring at the national park, your family will enjoy the outdoor fire pit and beautiful pool area.
The hotel is nearly brand new, and is located on the northern end of Alamogordo near the Walmart Marketplace.
White Sands National Park with Kids FAQs
The Camping Kiddos and I at the entrance sign that still wasn’t updated to park status when we visited
Where are the bathrooms in the park?
I’m a parent of 2 kids, and I know that when your kid has to go, you’ve got to find a bathroom right then.
With that in mind, it might be daunting to take a potty training or younger child down into the caves.
But, the NPS is already two steps ahead! There is a full bathroom built into the cave, which you can access at any point in your self-guided tour. You’ll also find a baby changing station here if you’re traveling with little ones.
Above ground, there are restrooms in the visitors center, and over in Rattlesnake Springs.
Where can I get snacks for my child while in the national park?
There are extremely limited food options in the park, and the one option that you do have is at the visitors center.
There aren’t any food options once you’re on Dunes Drive and the dune field.
You’ll find pre-packaged sandwiches and snacks, water, coffee, and soft drinks at the tiny snack counter in the gift shop. There are also some packaged sweets and candy there.
If you’re just looking for a soft drink, there’s also a self-serve machine near the back door of the visitors center.
If your child is picky or very young, I highly recommend bringing your own food.
If you’re staying long enough to need a full meal, you’ll also want to bring a picnic as what’s available on-site isn’t really enough to satisfy a growing kid throughout a day of exploring and running around.
You won’t find baby food, purees, or formula at the park, so come prepared.
What is the best time of year to visit White Sands National Park?
If pulling your kids out of school isn’t an issue, than I’d go in April, early May, or October since this is when the weather is the mildest.
The summers are the most popular time to visit since so many families are vacationing then, but you will come up against the hot mid-day temperatures as well as the rainy season in the later summer months.
The winters are a surprisingly great time to visit since crowds are so low, and you’ll have access to the Lake Lucero program then. The weather does get very cool at night, so come prepared with extra layers.
What's the best age to take kids to White Sands National Park?
While I’m a huge believer of taking your kids on adventures from their baby years, your kids will likely get more out of the park if they’re 6 and up.
By visiting in the early elementary years and later, your kids will be able to sled on their own in the dune field, and carry their sleds as you explore.
They’ll also be able to learn from and retain the information they’ll get at the ranger program, park film, and other interpretive materials.
That being said, there’s really something here for families at any age and stage.
What else can we do nearby?
Alamogordo has a number of great things to do, including the New Mexico Museum of Space History and the tour (and samples!) at McGinn’s Pistachioland. You’ll also be able to get a photo with the world’s largest pistachio at the latter.
There’s enough to do in the area around White Sands that I’d recommend lingering here for at least a day before you head elsewhere in your family travels.
For more suggestions, check out my guide to the best places to visit near White Sands National Park.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is more than you’d want to do for a day trip at over 3 hours from Alamogordo, New Mexico, but it is well worth your time.
The cave system there includes one of the largest accessible caverns in the world, the Big Room, which is larger than 8 football fields!
If you’d like to add on a trip here, check out my complete Carlsbad Caverns National Park planning resources.
While you’re in that area, Guadalupe Mountains National Park is only 30 minutes from the visitors center at Carlsbad Caverns, so that’s an easy add-on.
Despite the parks being so close, they have different focuses: Carlsbad, on the caves, of course, and Guadalupe Mountains on the mountain landscape. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is great if you want to do more hiking than what Carlsbad Caverns currently has available.