National parks2
Visits in 2025 (all parks)1,070,520
No entrance fee0
OldestCarlsbad Caverns (1930)
New Mexico has 2 national parks. Together they recorded 1,070,520 recreation visits in 2025.
The parks
| Park | Established | Area (acres) | Visits in 2025 | Entrance fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Sands | 2019 | 146,344 | 659,742 | $25 per vehicle |
| Carlsbad Caverns | 1930 | 46,766 | 410,778 | $15 per person |
At a glance
- Busiest: White Sands, with 659,742 visits in 2025.
- Quietest: Carlsbad Caverns, with 410,778.
- Largest: White Sands, at 146,344 acres.
- Oldest: Carlsbad Caverns, a national park since 1930.
Driving between the parks
Drive times and road miles between the closest visitor centers of each pair (OSRM estimates on OpenStreetMap roads), with straight-line miles for comparison.
| From | To | Drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sands | Carlsbad Caverns | 4 h 15 min (189 mi) | 109 mi |
Link them into one trip with the road trip planner.
Other National Park Service sites in New Mexico (17)
Beyond its national parks, New Mexico has these Park Service sites:
- Aztec Ruins National Monument: no entrance fee
- Bandelier National Monument: $25 per vehicle
- Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Capulin Volcano National Monument: $20 per vehicle
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park: $25 per vehicle
- El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- El Malpais National Monument: no entrance fee
- El Morro National Monument: no entrance fee
- Fort Union National Monument: no entrance fee
- Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument: no entrance fee
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park: no entrance fee
- Old Spanish National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Pecos National Historical Park: no entrance fee
- Petroglyph National Monument: no entrance fee
- Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument: no entrance fee
- Santa Fe National Historic Trail: no entrance fee
- Valles Caldera National Preserve: $25 per vehicle
Sources
- Wikipedia: List of national parks of the United States (area from NPS land resource data, 2025 recreation visits from NPS visitor statistics)
- National Park Service: Entrance Fees by Park
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many national parks are in New Mexico?
2: Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands.
What is the most visited national park in New Mexico?
White Sands, with 659,742 recreation visits in 2025.
Which is the oldest national park in New Mexico?
Carlsbad Caverns, established May 14, 1930.