Guide Sections
Use Auto Touring's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Auto Touring Details
Difficulty
Open
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
Activities
Auto travel in the area is somewhat limited. The two districts of the park -- the Carlsbad Cave district and the Rattlesnake Spring district -- are accessible via out-and-back paved roads. State Highway 7 (also known as Carlsbad Caverns Highway) runs seven miles to the park visitor center. Walnut Canyon Desert Drive is a nine-mile, unpaved scenic driving loop that starts from the Carlsbad visitor center and ends east on Highway 7. State Highway 418 takes you to the Rattlesnake Springs ranger station and picnic area. The road is paved as far as the mouth of Slaughterhouse Canyon, at which point it turns to gravel.