New Mexico and Texas 2024 (November)
Carlsbad and Guadalupe National Parks
Monday, November 11 through Saturday, November 16, 2024
We drove from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Whites City, New Mexico (southwest of the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and close to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. From Whites City, we traveled daily to either Carlsbad or Guadalupe National Park, and sometimes to other nearby points of interest or restaurants.
I tracked the trip with a Garmin eTrex SE GPS receiver (GPSr), using my iPhone 16 (Gaia GPS app) as a backup.
NOTE: the downloadable GPX tracks are full-resolution files while those shown on the provided "view map" links are simplified (with minimal effect on geographic accuracy) for much faster viewing.
Original GPX tracks are unedited, except to break up separate events, and where necessary to fill in missing data. Altered tracks (other than cropped) are noted in their descriptions.
Businesses are named below for reference only. No endorsement should be inferred. If you wish to see my opinion of the places mentioned, see TripAdvisor (for those few that I have actually rated).
Overview
- Overview map—This is a composite map of all the GPS tracks on a blank US/Canada map.
- All GPS tracks / view map—The whole trip, including walking, driving, etc.
Monday, November 11
- GPX / view map—driving from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Whites City, New Mexico. We stopped in Clinton, Oklahoma for lunch, and Hobbs, New Mexico for dinner. A minor problem with a low tire (because of cooler weather, apparently) led us on a bit of a "goose chase" in the Carlsbad, New Mexico area.
Tuesday, November 12
- GPX / view map—driving to Guadalupe National Park, Texas
- GPX / view map—hiking the Devil's Hall Trail at Guadalupe National Park (Topo)
- GPX / view map—driving back to the hotel, via a dinner stop in Carlsbad
Wednesday, November 13
- GPX / view map—driving to Guadalupe National Park
- GPX / view map—hiking the McKittrick Canyon Trail at Guadalupe National Park (Topo)
- GPX / view map—driving back to the hotel, via a dinner stop in Carlsbad
Thursday, November 14
- GPX / view map—driving to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. Obviously, our tour of the cave was not recorded by the GPSr because of being underground.
- GPX / view map—driving back to the hotel, via a dinner stop in Carlsbad
Friday, November 15
- GPX / view map—driving to Carlsbad National Park, New Mexico. Again, our tour of the cave was not recorded because of being underground. The route continues after the cave tour back toward Whites City, stopping at the Walnut Canyon Nature Trail.
- GPX / view map—walking at the Walnut Canyon Nature Trail, a short trail with signs about the local flora
- GPX / view map—driving from Walnut Canyon Nature Trail into town for an early dinner, then down to Rattlesnake Springs picnic area (part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park)
- GPX / view map—walking at Rattlesnake Springs picnic area (part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park)
- GPX / view map—driving back to Carlsbad Caverns for the bat watch in the evening. The GPSr had to be turned off during the bat flight, and until we returned to the parking lot. We then returned to the hotel in Whites City.
Saturday, November 16
- GPX / view map—driving from Whites City, New Mexico to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We stopped for food at Lubbock, Texas and Clinton, Oklahoma.
