Four Days in Southern New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands

Sponsored by Best Western.

Four days in Southern New Mexico gave us two completely different landscapes to explore. We started in Silver City, where we stayed at a SureStay, before heading to White Sands for golden-hour photographs, sunset, and a full moon rise. After a long drive through the mountains and an overnight stay in Carlsbad, we visited Carlsbad Caverns early the following day.

That change in scenery is a big part of what I loved about this trip, from bright dunes above ground to the scale and texture of the cavern below.

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Carlsbad Caverns, below the surface

We hiked into Carlsbad Cavern and took the elevator back out. Spending time on the walking trails inside gave us a chance to explore at our own pace, and the sheer scale of the cave was what stood out to me most.

One detail I loved on our visit was being able to sit down for a snack in the underground lunchroom. It was a memorable pause in the day, surrounded by a place so different from an ordinary cafe. Check current services before relying on that stop, and follow the park's food rules rather than taking snacks onto the cave trails.

Handheld photography inside the cavern

The low light made photographing the cavern challenging. I did not have a tripod, so I concentrated on keeping the camera stable and choosing an ISO high enough for my handheld shots while balancing the noise in the image. I used my Sony a7 IV and wide-angle compositions to show both the textures of the formations and how massive the spaces felt.

Current National Park Service guidance says tripods, bipods, and monopods are not permitted in the cavern. Plan your equipment around the current rules, stay on the trail, and never use cave formations as camera supports. Check the official Carlsbad Caverns visitor guidance.

A timed-entry reservation is also currently required for Carlsbad Cavern, separately from the entrance pass purchased at the visitor center. Review the current reservation and fee information before your visit.

White Sands at sunset and moonrise

At White Sands, we finally got to hike out and make the sunset photographs I had wanted to capture. Watching the full moon rise gave us one more part of the evening to remember.

From a photographer's perspective, protecting your gear is a big part of the visit. During our time there, the fine sand kept blowing in the breeze. I kept my gear protected and did not change lenses in the open. If I needed a lens change, I got inside the car and closed the doors first rather than exposing the camera to the sand.

Golden hour was the light I wanted to photograph, but plan that time around the park's published hours. White Sands closes nightly, and access can also be affected by weather and missile-range testing. Give yourself time to pack up and leave, follow staff directions, and check the official hours and closure information before planning around sunset or moonlight.

Where we stayed in Carlsbad

We stayed at the Best Western Plus Executive Residency Carlsbad Hotel. Having somewhere comfortable to return to between the long drive and an early cavern visit was an important part of how we put the trip together.

Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands were a great start, and I left wanting to see more of New Mexico. Which would you want to explore first?