We continue our off-the-beaten-path road trip through New Mexico, the little-known state in the southern United States still far from mass tourism. During a week, we explored lesser-known sites in New Mexico such as El Morro and El Mapais National Monument and the Breaking Bad filming locations in Albuquerque. We now head to the pristine desert of White Sands National Park, the spectacular depths of Carlsbad Caverns, and a visit to Roswell, the mysterious alien town. Join us as we explore New Mexico through a one-week New Mexico itinerary that brings plenty of surprises.
New Mexico Itinerary: Visiting White Sands National Park and Its White Desert
Friday, November 4, 2022
We continue our New Mexico itinerary toward White Sands National Park. But along the way, strange signs catch our attention. They indicate that the road may be closed for a few hours due to “missile testing”! We indeed learn that White Sands National Park is located within a military area, the White Sands Missile Range. Twice a week, planes drop bombs here, either for military testing or training purposes. This is also where the first atomic bomb test took place. As a result, the park and the road leading to it can occasionally be closed. Fortunately, everything is open today, so we can visit White Sands and its stunning white sand desert.
White Sands National Park is located in southern New Mexico, north of the vast Chihuahuan Desert. It is a gypsum desert, which gives it its white color. It is the largest gypsum dune field in the world, covering about 700 km2. We begin our visit to White Sands National Park with a hike along the Dune Life Nature Trail. It is a short 1.6-kilometer trail winding through the white desert. We know tropical white-sand beaches, but not deserts like this! The place is absolutely stunning! Although the ranger at the Visitor Center assured us there was no danger today, we are still surprised by two distant missile explosions. It’s quite impressive!
To explore White Sands National Park more deeply, we then set out on the Alkali Flat Trail. It is an 8-kilometer hike through the sand. It is even more beautiful here, as there is no vegetation at all. At the entrance, the ranger gave us a brochure stating that fossilized footprints of mammoths and megatherium (a species of giant sloth extinct 11,000 years ago) can be found here. We search, but we can’t find any trace of them. There is nothing but endless sand. It is simply sublime!
After the heat of the white desert, it’s time for the freshness of the mountains. We follow a narrow winding road that climbs and climbs. Very quickly, we reach 2,500 meters of altitude, where snow appears. From the white sand of White Sands National Park to the white of snow! We even pass a ski resort, right in the middle of New Mexico! We find a peaceful spot in the snowy forest to spend the night. But the thermometer shows 0°C… and it’s only 4 p.m. After a very brief discussion, we decide not to sleep here. We immediately get back on the road, descending from the mountains back into the plains. Only when the temperature rises above 10°C do we finally agree to stop for the night in a field. Less scenic, but much more comfortable temperatures!
Saturday, November 5
We calmly continue our New Mexico itinerary through desert plains when yet another sign catches our attention. It indicates that the town of Roswell is only a few kilometers away. The name sounds familiar. We try to remember where we heard it recently. Then it comes back to us! Of course, the conspiracy theory podcast! (Well, you’ve got to stay entertained on the road 😁). Roswell, the alien town! 👽 The opportunity is too good to pass up—we have to stop!
New Mexico Itinerary: Visiting Roswell, the Alien Town
Never heard of Roswell? No worries, here’s the story: in 1947, an unidentified object crashed in a field near the town. The sheriff was sent to the scene, quickly followed by the military. A lieutenant issued a statement, and the next day the local newspaper headline read: “Flying saucer crashes in field.” Oops! A few hours later, a correction was published: no, it wasn’t a flying saucer but a weather balloon 🤪. A press conference was even held to present debris as proof of the official version. The story was forgotten… until 1978!
Then the retired lieutenant reappeared. In an interview, he claimed that the debris was indeed extraterrestrial and that the U.S. military and government had tried to cover up the discovery of a spacecraft 🛸. That’s quite a claim! Books and films followed, and a conspiracy theory was born. The Roswell incident is now one of the most famous UFO stories in the world. And Roswell has fully embraced it as a tourist attraction. We couldn’t resist making a detour to see it for ourselves and get to the bottom of this mysterious case.
In the end, we’re really glad we adjusted our New Mexico itinerary to include the mysterious town of Roswell. We have a great time walking around the city in search of alien traces—and they are everywhere! The downtown area is packed with UFO and alien-themed references. Just keep your eyes open: alien streetlights, themed murals, trees shaped like flying saucers, shops selling all kinds of UFO merchandise, a UFO museum, and even local businesses joining in the fun. Even the McDonald’s got in on the theme! It all makes us laugh a lot.
While we don’t leave Roswell fully convinced about the existence of extraterrestrials, we do leave convinced that Roswell is a truly quirky town! And honestly, we don’t regret the detour at all. We then head toward the Carlsbad Caverns. Rémi is a bit hesitant: we’ve already visited plenty of caves in France. Yes, but have you ever seen a cave like this in America? Fair point—let’s go check it out. And we’re glad we did, because we’re about to experience something truly unforgettable during our visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
New Mexico Itinerary: Visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Its Spectacular Cave
First of all, something rare for a cave: this is not a guided tour. You can either take an elevator that drops more than 250 meters underground straight into the depths of the cave, or enter through the natural cave entrance. We choose the second option. In our opinion, it’s the best choice, as the way into the cave is especially impressive. We follow the winding path that descends into the gaping mouth of the cavern. The atmosphere gradually changes. It gets colder and darker until we find ourselves far from daylight and the warmth of the sun. It’s absolutely stunning!
As we move further away from the natural entrance, the light fades. The National Park Service has chosen to keep some sections very dimly lit in order to preserve darkness for the wildlife living inside. We walk carefully, whispering to respect the vastness of the place. Soon, all natural light disappears. Turn after turn, we go deeper and deeper underground. We descend the equivalent of the Empire State Building—about 440 meters over 2 kilometers! It’s absolutely incredible.
At the bottom of the cave, we reach The Big Room. It’s an enormous chamber filled with incredible formations: stalagmites, stalactites, columns, draperies, popcorn-like textures, and even “Swiss cheese” rock formations! Yes, really. It’s massive and stunning. Every corner reveals something amazing to admire. The loop trail is 4 kilometers long, which gives you an idea of the scale of Carlsbad Caverns. And even then, it’s not fully accessible—some parts remain closed to the public. A fun fact: there are real restrooms at the bottom of the cave and even a huge snack counter where you can grab something to eat… we’ve never seen anything like that underground!
Photos hardly do justice to this incredible visit of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We leave deeply impressed. After three hours underground, the elevator brings us back to the surface in just a few seconds, directly to the visitor center.
It’s almost 5 p.m. and a natural spectacle awaits us: the bat flight! Even though it’s late in the season, it is still possible to witness the emergence of the Brazilian free-tailed bat colony that lives in the cave after sunset. At peak season, their numbers can reach between 5,000 and 10,000 bats per minute! We wait for an hour, sitting on the amphitheater seats at the cave entrance. Will the bats show up tonight or have they already migrated to Mexico for the winter?
And then suddenly! Hundreds, then thousands of bats burst out of the cave entrance in swirling clouds. Unlike in movies, they make no sound at all. The moment is magical. We watch them disappear into the glowing evening sky, but we don’t take photos or videos, as bats are very sensitive to disturbance, so it’s not allowed.
We then return to the Jeep under a beautiful fiery sunset sky, still deeply moved by what we’ve just witnessed. Our New Mexico itinerary has once again delivered an incredible day full of surprises. We leave Carlsbad Caverns National Park at night and drive back to the nearby town of Carlsbad, where we treat ourselves to a pizza before heading back into nature for the night.
New Mexico Road Trip: Wild Camping and Bighorn Sheep
Sunday, November 6
Wake-up at 8 a.m. No, 7 a.m. Wait—what time is it? Our devices show 7 a.m., others show 8 a.m. We’re completely lost with all these time changes across U.S. states! (We’ll later realize it was the daylight saving time change happening that day.) Disconnected? Not at all 🤪 We live by the sun. And this morning, it’s surprisingly warm. We’re in shorts and T-shirts right after getting up—a real pleasure! We have breakfast surrounded by cacti, under a bright sun and an incredible landscape. This is the New Mexico we love.
As has been the case for the past few days, we have nothing specific planned today. It’s so nice to go with the flow, guided by our mood and the occasional roadside signs 😅. Since the weather is perfect, we decide to return to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We are really falling in love with New Mexico’s cactus-covered landscapes—an early taste of our upcoming road trip in Mexico. We hear the intimidating rattle of a rattlesnake for the first time and would have loved to see it, but it seems hidden under the rocks and we don’t dare get too close. More pleasantly, we also encounter a herd of bighorn sheep!
What to Do in New Mexico in One Week?
Our one-week New Mexico itinerary allowed us to discover a lesser-known U.S. state, far from the mass tourism of neighboring Arizona or Colorado. We absolutely loved exploring New Mexico, with its warm winter weather and diverse landscapes. During this New Mexico itinerary, we visited:
- The petroglyphs at El Morro National Monument
- The lava fields of El Malpais National Monument
- The Breaking Bad filming locations in Albuquerque
- The white desert of White Sands National Park
- The fascinating depths of Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the bat flight at sunset
- The mysterious town of Roswell
- A visit to Santa Fe is also a must. We went there after our Alaska to Ushuaia road trip.
There is no doubt that this still-preserved U.S. state is well worth exploring on a road trip across the United States.
Next Stop on Our U.S. Road Trip
The state border is just a few kilometers away. Hard to resist! And anyway, it’s the fastest route to continue our journey. So it’s decided—we’re going! It’s not every day you get the chance to set foot in Texas 😀. We continue our road trip in the southern United States with a visit to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas, along with the overlander’s worst nightmare: a tiny stowaway.
