Just West Of Carlsbad Caverns Is A Desert Oasis Preserve With One Of New Mexico's Most Stunning Waterfalls

Visitors to the Southwestern United States have a lot to look forward to besides Route 66 nostalgia-driven sights like the abandoned but well-preserved town of Glenrio in New Mexico. Starting from Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico's southeast and working northwest, road trippers can hit one legendary spot after another. First, a series of state routes that connect to I-40 link White Sands National Park (near where the first atomic bomb test in history occurred) to the Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert in Arizona . From there, travelers can reconnect to I-40 and head to the Grand Canyon (the best time to visit the Grand Canyon is in the fall to beat the crowds or in May for optimal weather). 

But during this adventure, travelers would be remiss to bypass a New Mexico desert marvel: the beautifully cascading Sitting Bull Falls, located about an hour west from Carlsbad Caverns. The falls are a true desert wonder that must have mesmerized Indigenous people and westward-bound settlers the first time they saw them (before they drank from them and bathed in them, we assume). Completely at odds with the surrounding desert, the water tumbles 150 feet over moist, mossy rocks and crashes into a shallow pool that makes the physically perfect — and picture-perfect — oasis for road-weary travelers.

Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. seven days per week, and the entry fee is $10 per day ($25 for multi-passenger vehicles). To reach the recreation area from Carlsbad Caverns, take Route 62 northeast, snake through Dark Canyon Road, and then turn left on NM-137. Once you reach the Sitting Bull Falls Recreational Park, you'll find a parking area and some covered stone pavilions, which make pleasant spots for having a picnic or stretching your legs. There are also toilets available. When you're ready, head out on the accessible path a short distance to the falls, which are named after the legendary Lakota chief, who led Native tribes against the U.S. Army in the battles at Rosebud and Little Bighorn.

Sitting Bull Falls is not only an ideal respite after a visit to Carlsbad Caverns, it's also a great opportunity to take a dunk in a secluded swimming hole that provides a refreshing break under the sun. The natural pool here is actually a favorite local spot to go for a swim on a warm day, maybe because the surrounding scrabbly hills seem to keep the outside world at bay while you relax in the cool water with your companions. If you'd rather hike than swim, there's a half-mile trail to the top of the falls that provides a lovely overview of the area. It's pretty steep, which can be tough in the desert heat. But if you've been cooped up in your car and sucking down air conditioning for hours, it might be just the thing you need.