After over a month on the road we’ve made it to New Mexico, but just barely. We are camping between two of the least visited National Parks in the continuous 48 states and they’re only 35 miles from each other; Carlsbad Caverns NP, in New Mexico and Guadalupe Mountains NP, in Texas.
It’s been a week of literal ups and downs. At Guadalupe Mountains NP, I had the opportunity to hike to the top of the highest peak in Texas; Guadalupe Peak. The next day Mark and I descended 754 feet, below the ground, into the largest cave chamber (by volume) in North America; Carlsbad Caverns Big Room. You could fit over six American football fields inside this one chamber. When Will Rogers visited, years ago, he referred to this fascinating place as “the Grand Canyon with a roof over it.”
We’ve been really surprised at how few people are actually here. The thought occurred to me that because we are camping in February that might explain the low crowds. It was still kind of a shock to bag the highest peak in Texas, without a soul around, and to experience an epic cave, practically alone, on our self guided tour.
Today, however, we find ourselves huddled in our camper, hitched to the truck with our sway bars in place, in a wind storm of 45mph sustained winds and 75mph gusts. The great mystery of why no one is camping, during this areas high wind season, may have been solved!
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