DESCRIPTION OF SLAUGHTER CANYON TRAIL
Slaughter Canyon trail is one of the best trails in New Mexico that is only accessible with a national park guard. The path is inside Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. Most travelers visit the trail for hiking, caving, nature walk and bird watching. This trail is mostly used from March to October but is accessible all year.
The trail starts at 8:30 in the morning up to until early afternoon because the temperature is favourable to everyone, I mean no one wants to hike I the open sun.
The trails start from the north of the parking lot, which is 45 minutes out to the cave. And branches out to the west but not too far. Its is only 500feeet or 0.8 km. Most hikers head to the mouth of the canyon cave. The canyon is vast and has several branches such as the Middle, West, and the north slaughter.
The first trail goes up to the middle before spinning into the north with some beautiful Slickrock potholes and finally ends at dry stream bed at the Guadalupe Ridge Trail. After the first three miles, the climb gets real, but the last trail levels back out for an easy hike. Along this branch, there are flora and fauna such as Prickly pear, claret cup cactus, yuccas, barbary sheep, quail, red tail hawks among other animals. And great dessert landscape experience.
The path is very rocky and slippery with significate steps to climb up and down, but the road is very wind make sure to wear proper footwear with good aggressive tread are required and carry a lot of water. The reservation must be made earlier through recreation.gov.