Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico contains some of the largest caves in North America—a must-visit stop for vacations in New Mexico.

As you pass through the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, filled with prickly pear, chollas, sotols, and agaves, you might never guess there are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone. This includes Lechuguilla Cave, the nation's deepest and fourth longest limestone cave at 1,567 feet (478m).