The best camping near Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Carlsbad Caverns National Park adventure.
Explore an underground wonderland in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Popular ways to camp
Top-rated campgrounds near Carlsbad Caverns National Park
97%
(134)
Good Guad Land Co.
3 sites · RVs, Tents50 acres · Dell City, TX
Find extreme solitude and unforgettable views of Guadalupe Peak at this desert escape next to Guadalupe Mountains National Park!
This is choose-your-own-adventure camping. The terrain is rugged, and the dust and wind blow some nights. Once you're here, there are zero amenities (other than picnic tables).
If this sounds fine — you don't mind roughing it — you'll be sleeping under the stars at the foot of West Texas' tallest mountain range. And who else can say they've done that?
Distance to nearby attractions: Guadalupe Mountains National Park Visitor Center, 11 miles; Black River Recreation Area, 42 miles; Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center, 52 miles
Distance from nearby towns: Dell City, 34 miles; Van Horn, 56 miles; Carlsbad, 65 miles; El Paso, 104 miles
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from
$35
/ night
Booked 3 times
Coyote Flats RV Park
8 sites · RVs10 acres · Carlsbad, NM
Welcome to Coyote Flats RV Park! Nestled in Carlsbad, we are the newest, well-kept park in the area that welcomes extended stays. We offer 260 full hook-up sites with private cement patios, strong WiFi, a state-of-the-art laundry facility, a shower facility, gravel roads, a playground, a dog park, a sand volleyball pit, a covered picnic area, outdoor grills, and fireplaces, and more. Our campground is quiet and settled within a residential area. We also offer storage for your vehicles and RV's. You'll find many attractions nearby such as Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Living Desert State Park and Zoo, and the Carlsbad Waterpark!
All facilities are electronic and can be paid for through credit/debit card. Cash payments will not be accepted once you have arrived at the park. Please note that additional fees may apply for pets, vehicles, etc.
We have a $100 deposit is required at check-in. Refundable at check out if the site is left clean and no damage has been done.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from
$40
/ night
90%
(5)
Country RV Park
20 sites · RVs3 acres · Carlsbad, NM
Welcome to A Country RV Park
Take a break and spend some quality time with your loved ones. If you are planning to have a short drive to see interesting attractions or go on camping, A Country RV Park in Bakersfield, CA has the amenities you need. From secure parking spaces to fully-equipped patio sites, our recreational vehicle park and campsite have them all. In addition, we offer pull-through sites. We invite you to continue browsing to find out more about our company and services.
Recreational Vehicle Park Like No Other
Here at A Country RV Park, we support your love for recreational vehicles and road trip adventures. Enjoy a cozy RV camping with us. Some of our park amenities include pool, spa, BBQ area, dog run, laundry room, bathrooms, clubhouse, Wi-Fi, and more! For the full list of facilities and services offered at our parking space and campsite, get in touch with us.
Visit our Cozy RV Park Today For an exciting camping trip or a relaxing stay, visit A Country RV Park. We have a range of amenities for all your RV camping or stopover needs.
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from
$42
/ night
Saved 3 times
More Travel Less Talk
7 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents26 acres · Dell City, TX
Hello and welcome to More Travel Less Talk. All bookings are done through our website at "More Travel Less Talk". We are the closest privately owned campground to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and all hiking trails in the area. We do all of our bookings on our site, not here. Please go to our page and click the reserve button to book. Thanks. We are a small family owned "campground" that serves the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Salt Basin Dunes, and Dell City area. We cater to families and individuals looking for a true desert experience. We strive to provide a quiet, secluded, safe, friendly place for people looking for a unique experience in this amazing area.
We offer the following services:
Yurt rentals.
Primitive tent camping sites.
Group Sites
Don't settle for a paved parking lot spot at the Guadalupe national park where you will be packed in like sardines for 30 dollars a night or a tent spot on top of your load neighbors. We have 26 acres of land you can explore and plenty of room between you and our other guests.
We are conveniently located just 6 miles off of HWY 62/180 on FM 1576. 27 miles from Quadalupe National Park. Home of El Capitan and the highest peak in Texas.
Just a quick 15 minutes from Dell City where you can stock up on supplies. Dell City is a beautiful and quaint farming community that offers two grocery stores, a NAPA, fueling stations, two restaurants, a post office, and a wonderful Hardware store owned and run by the Perry's.
14 miles to the Salt Basin Dunes.
70 miles (1 hour) from Carlsbad Caverns National Park
If the idea of seeing a sky full of stars at night, being surrounded by all sorts of desert wildlife, being minutes away from some of the most amazing mountains and hikes you will ever experience, or just looking for a nice overnight experience while traveling or hiking....This is the place for you.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from
$29
/ night
Booked 4 times
6.3 Acres
18 sites · Tents6 acres · Dell City, TX
6.3 acres is open land filled with shrubs and sandy dirt. At night the stars seems so close that you could touch them. The Guadalupe Mountains are 13 miles away in direct sight from the property. Activities include: camping, relaxing, hunting (hunting license maybe required), hiking, and 96 miles to the City of El Paso, TX for city fun.
Campfires
from
$50
/ night
Saved 9 times
High desert retreat
25 sites · Tents50 acres · Dell City, TX
Learn more about this land:At nearly 4000 feet elevation this desert retreat has clear skies for astronomical viewing, and abundant wild life. This truly a wild, untamed natural desert area.
Pets
from
$15
/ night
The best camping near Carlsbad Caverns National Park guide
Overview
About
Though the focal point of this park is underground, Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers beauty and recreation above the surface, too. Take a guided cave tour—or explore on your own. Pick any of the 10 hiking trails to explore New Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert landscape. At dawn or dusk, watch the daily flight of the Brazilian free-tailed bats that call the cavern home. Though the National Park Service does not offer any campgrounds in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, backcountry camping is allowed by permit. Three designated campgrounds are available at Texas’ Guadalupe Mountains National Park, approximately 40 minutes away.
Notable campgrounds
- Best for RVers: Brantley Lake State Park offers full and partial hookups at campsites 45 minutes north of Carlsbad Caverns.
- Best for boondocking: A number of boondocking sites and primitive campgrounds are available on nearby lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
- Best for backpackers: Secure a free permit for backcountry camping at the visitor center and find your own spot in the desert for tent camping.
Tips for snagging a campsite
- Camping reservations through the NPS for Guadalupe Mountains National Park’s Pine Springs Campground and Dog Canyon Campground may be made online up to 6 months in advance.
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park’s campgrounds offer both tent sites and RV sites. No hookups are available.
- Reservations for Brantley Lake State Park may be made online up to 6 months in advance.
- BLM lands offer first-come-first-served camping spots.
- Numerous private RV parks with full hookups and other amenities may be found in the nearby towns of Whites City and Carlsbad.
When to go
Summer is monsoon season at Carlsbad Caverns, with daytime temperatures sometimes topping the 90s. Afternoon thunderstorms may be expected. Conditions cool quickly in the desert evenings. July and August are the best months for the bat viewing. Spring and fall are pleasant, with highs in the 60s and 70s. Plan for chilly nights. Winter is a good time for visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, though campers may encounter freezing temperatures and occasional snows.
Know before you go
- A variety of ranger-led guided tours are offered, and reservations may be made in advance by phone or on the Recreation.gov website.
- Temperatures in the caverns vary based on location, unlike many cave systems where temperatures are steady. The large natural entrance and a cave system that goes more than 1,000 feet below the surface lead to variable conditions.
- The Big Room is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
- Audio guides are available for self-guided tours.
- The park offers a night sky program, held after the bat flight program select weekends in summer and fall. Park rangers provide “tours” of the stars above.
Top cities near Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
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