What a whirlwind of a week! And, no surprise, wind played a major role in our adventure. We arrived a day early in Whites City, New Mexico (just outside the Carlsbad Caverns) to settle in before a massive wind storm hit. We scored a budget-friendly, no-hookups site at the campground where we had a reservation for the next night. It was a perfect spot, and honestly, we kind of wished we could’ve stayed there the whole time. But we moved to our reserved spot the next day, which turned out to be a blessing. We ended up between two big rigs, giving us some much-needed protection from 60 mph gusts.

After waking up in our dry camping spot, we set off on a hike into Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We had a great view of our campsite and got to explore the area. Once we settled into our reserved site, we ventured out to visit Sitting Bull Falls, an oasis in the desert about an hour away. Despite the wind, it was worth the drive to see flowing water in such a dry place. We made it back just in time for the emergency alarm warning about the dust storm that reduced visibility to nearly nothing.

The next day was our timed entry to Carlsbad Cavern National Park. After a restless night due to the wind, we woke up to a beautiful day. Being just minutes from the park was super convenient. Timed entry passes have a love/hate reputation among National Park visitors. On the one hand, they limit flexibility, but on the other hand, we got to experience the caves without being surrounded by crowds. Walking through the caves was even more incredible than I had imagined from photos and podcasts.

Later, we drove 45 minutes to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas. We were pretty tired by then, especially after the 2.5-mile cave hike and a sleepless night. We did a short 1.5-mile walk and were treated to yet another desert spring—so beautiful and serene.

The next day, we made a quick stop in Roswell, NM, to visit our Vermont friends, Michelle and Travis. It was a short visit, but so great to catch up with fellow Vermonters. I even did a fun interview with them about work camping—check out the video!

After spending the night with Michelle and Travis, we headed over a mountain pass to Alamogordo, NM, to explore White Sands National Park. We found a dry camping spot near Fort Holloman, just minutes from White Sands. The view was amazing, though the nearby lake was less than ideal—it’s a treated waste lake from the base. Fortunately, there was no smell, but we kept an eye on Annie to make sure she didn’t take a dip.

White Sands was such a fun stop, especially since dogs are allowed in the park! Most National Parks don’t let pets on the trails, but White Sands was an exception, and it was great having Annie with us for some fun in the sand. We even got some great photos! After the heat of the day, we treated ourselves to homemade pistachio ice cream—who knew Alamogordo had pistachios? Then we headed back into the park to catch the sunset. We had planned to join a ranger-led walk, but it was so crowded we decided to find our own peaceful spot. Watching the sun set over the sand dunes was surreal—so different from a beach sunset with the sound of waves, but just as breathtaking.

That wrapped up our crazy week of exploration. Now it was time to head to Arizona for some much-needed relaxation at a state park!