Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness
Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness is a 33,125-acre wilderness area in Eddy County, New Mexico. It rises from about 3,775 to 6,529 ft. The nearest town is Whites City, 3.4 miles away in a straight line.
Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness map
Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Whites City, NM is the nearest town, 3.4 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 150 miles east of El Paso.
- The highest ground in Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness is about 6,529 ft, and its lowest about 3,775 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 33,125 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 575-785-2232 |
Getting to Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness
- Whites City, NM is the nearest town, 3.4 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
- The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 150 miles east of El Paso.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-30. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness
- Lechuguilla Canyon canyon
- Middle Slaughter Canyon canyon
- Longview Spring spring
- Spring Number Eleven spring
- Lowe Tank lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30.
Public lands next to Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness
- National Park Service unitCarlsbad Caverns Wilderness lies inside Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
- National forestCarlsbad Caverns Wilderness borders Lincoln National Forest.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in New Mexico
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.