Chihuahuan Desert parks

Route description

From El Paso, US-62/180 heads east across the Chihuahuan Desert, climbing past the Hueco Mountains and under the cliffs of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, home of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. There is almost nothing between the two cities, so fill the tank and carry water before you leave. The road then drops into New Mexico to Whites City and the turnoff for Carlsbad Caverns.

At Carlsbad Caverns National Park you can walk down the natural entrance trail into the Big Room, one of the largest cave chambers in North America, or take the elevator. From late spring to early fall, thousands of bats leave the cave at dusk, watched from an amphitheater at the entrance. Check the park website before you go, as timed-entry tickets may be required for the cave.

US-285 runs north through open ranch land to Roswell, known for its UFO museum and the alien theme that runs through the town. From there US-70 climbs west into the Sacramento Mountains, where pine forests replace the desert, and drops again to the Tularosa Basin at Alamogordo. White Sands National Park is just beyond, and Dunes Drive leads deep into the dazzling white gypsum dunes; sleds are sold at the visitor center.

The last stretch on US-70 crosses San Agustin Pass to Las Cruces, where the old plaza of neighboring Mesilla is good for an evening stroll. US-70 and Dunes Drive can close for short periods during missile tests at the White Sands Missile Range, so allow some slack in your schedule. Spring and fall are best; summer days are very hot, and desert nights can be cold in winter.