Carlsbad Caverns National Park doesn’t have standard camping facilities available. Those who want to spend the night, or a few nights, in the park will have to rough it in the New Mexico desert. Fortunately, this experience is one of the most beautiful for which anyone could ask. The park is delightfully remote and spending the night out in the wilderness will certainly make one appreciate the desert environment. Backcountry camping, however, works quite a bit differently than does standard camping at a national park. Not leaving a trace of one’s being there is part of the goal.

 

Backcountry camping permits are available for free from the Park Service. The only requirement is that the applicant be 18 years of age or older and that their stay be for a maximum of 7 nights. The park rangers need to be informed of one’s arrival and departure and the permits need to be returned upon leaving. There are some restrictions on where one may set up camp and what they are permitted to do while they’re at their camp. Most of these restrictions exist to preserve the environment and the safety of other individuals at the park.

 

The area west of Rattlesnake Canyon near Desert Scenic Loop Road is available for backcountry campers. This is south of the Guadalupe—pronounced gwa-da-lou-pay—trail ridge and sets the camper in the middle of some beautiful scenery. While in this area, campers must not set up within 100 feet of any marked trail. They must also keep 300 feet away from any water source. Remember that one should never camp in an arroyo—or ditch—when camping in the desert due to the risk of flash flooding, which can occur at any time and can be very dangerous.

 

No exploring of any caves is permitted off the trails. Mountain bikes and all motorized transportation are forbidden in the national park. This is to protect the local flora and to keep the environment tranquil for other campers. In desert parks, many of the plants take years to grow and bloom and trampling them off trail or killing them with a mountain bike may have serious repercussions for the local ecosystem. The park service asks that anyone camping in the backcountry immediately informs a ranger of any destructive or suspicious behavior or situations which campers encounter during their stay.