Exploring the Hidden Gems of 5 Lesser-Known Southwest National Parks

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” —Rachel Carson

In late April, we decided to take our trusty CamperVan on a wild adventure through the five Southwest National Parks, kicking things off with Big Bend National Park in Texas. Imagine this: us, in a giant oven, with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees F, yet still having a blast on our GuideAlong tour. We hit up three visitor centers and tackled two short hikes: the Chiso Basin Trail and the Window Trail. Our original plan was to camp at the Rio Grande Village NP and Chiso Basin NP campsites, but who were we kidding? We opted for the Rio Grande Village RV campground instead, lured by the sweet promise of full hook-ups and glorious air conditioning. Our reward? A night sky so stunning it could make a raccoon pause and a sunrise hike on the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail that had us taking it all in. Fueled by a burst of energy, we ventured on to Sam Nail Ranch and Santa Elena Canyon, with a quick pit stop at the Castalon Visitor Center. The heat? It just made the whole escapade even more unforgettable!

Next up on our adventure: Guadalupe Mountains National Park! With the elevation giving us a break from feeling like a fried egg, we spent the afternoon dancing (tripping) along the Foothills Loop Trail (5.3 miles of pure joy) and snooping around the Frijole Ranch. The highlight? Jack spotted some Aoudad/Barbary Sheep while I was busy pretending to be a trailblazing navigator. After a sleep fit for a park ranger, we tackled the short-but-sweet Pinery Nature Trail, then strutted our stuff on the Smith Spring Trail (2.5 mi). And just like that, we were off to our next national park escapade!

We had this grand plan to wait until the next morning to check out Carlsbad Caverns NP, New Mexico, but it just so happened to be right on our path to our nightly retreat. As we rolled in, a welcoming committee of Barbary Sheep greeted us like they were hosting a red carpet event. We then embarked on the Natural Cave Entrance Trail (1.5 miles of pure spelunking glory), followed by the Big Room Trail (a 1.25-mile loop of underground wonder). Wow! It was spectacular, except for the aroma, which could only be described as "Eau de Bat Dung." That evening, after our laundry achieved a state of cleanliness not seen in days, we returned to the national park for the exceptional Bat Flight program. We were a tad hesitant, but heard it was a must, so we thought, why not! Our park ranger was once again amazing, and the sight of bats circling out of the cave was truly awe-inspiring (unfortunately we couldn't take pictures)!

The fourth park of our epic adventure—White Sands NP—looked like the Sierra desert's twin, with sand and more sand dunes stretching as far as the eye could squint. Along with our trusty GuideAlong guide, we cruised the loop and tackled our most "challenging" hike yet—the Alkali Flat Trail (5 mi). Flat, my 'arss'! This hilly dune trail was anything but flat, yet totally worth it! After torching our daily calorie count, I just had to sled down the soft (and surprisingly cool) gypsum dunes.

After leaving New Mexico and spending a night in the land of cowboy hats and BBQ, we arrived at our fifth and final national park, Hot Springs NP. We joined some entertaining ranger-led tours and completed several hikes, giving our legs a good workout. On the first day, we created a loop-de-loop of trails, including Fountain Street Trail and bits of Honeysuckle, Hot Springs Mountain, Short Cut, and Oertel Trails (2.8 miles). From our campsite, we strutted into town via the Oertel Trail (1.9 miles one way - up hill), quenched our thirst with a few brews at the Superior Bathhouse Brewery, and then hiked back with a little extra swagger!

Day two had us hiking from our campground through parts of Gulpha Gorge, Goat Rock, Upper and Lower Dogwood, Floral, and Honeysuckle trails (4.0 miles). After all that, we figured we earned some liquid courage, so we indulged in more drinks and a hearty lunch at the Superior Bathhouse, which we thoroughly relished, before heading back along the Oertel Trail. Cheers to that!

5 Recommendations

1. If you're cruising from Big Bend NP to Guadalupe Mountains NP, make sure your gas tank isn't thirstier than a cowboy in a desert! Gas stations are scarcer than a cactus in a snowstorm, spaced out over 60 miles apart. We ended up on a 35-mile detour just to find a pump, and the tiny station only accepted MasterCard—thankfully, we had one, or we'd still be pushing the van!

2. While in Carlsbad, mosey on over to Yellow Brix restaurant—it was the culinary highlight of our trip! Seriously, it was like our taste buds went on vacation too.

3. Don't miss the Carlsbad Caverns Bat Flight program at dusk—it's like watching nature's own silent film, starring bats! Pop into the visitor center to find out when the show starts. Believe me, the drive back up that rollercoaster of a road is absolutely worth it for this bat-tastic spectacle!

4. If you're heading to White Sands and tackling the Alkali Flat Trail, bring enough water to rival a camel's stash—seriously, more than you'd ever imagine needing! Douse yourself in sunscreen and hope for some cloud cover unless you fancy becoming a human raisin. And don't forget to hop on a sand-sled for a ride that'll have you feeling like a kid all over again!

5. Take a stroll through Hot Springs NP, but remember to treat yourself at the Superior Bathhouse afterwards. After all, those hikes weren't just a walk in the park! The food and drinks are like a high-five for your taste buds after all that legwork—absolutely delightful and totally deserved!