Carlsbad Travel Guide

Carlsbad is a city of 27,800 on the Pecos River. Founded in the late 1800s, its area was controlled by Apaches and Comanches until just a little over a century ago. Besides getting a good tourist business from Carlsbad Caverns, the town thrives on farming, with irrigated crops of cotton, hay, and pecans. The area is the largest producer of potash in the United States. The town was named for the spa in Bohemia of the same name.The caverns are the big attraction, having drawn more than 33 million visitors since opening in 1923. A satellite community, Whites City (www.whitescity.com), was created 20 miles south of Carlsbad at the park entrance junction. The family of Jack White Jr. owns all of its motels, restaurants, gift shops, and other attractions.