Carlsbad Caverns to Salt Lake City: Road Trip Guide & Distance

How far is Carlsbad Caverns from Salt Lake City?

The distance from Carlsbad Caverns to Salt Lake City is 720.7 miles (1159.8 km) as the crow flies. Salt Lake City is located NNW of Carlsbad Caverns. By car, the driving distance is approximately 864.8 miles, taking about 17h 24min. A direct flight would take roughly 1h 57min. Both are located in United States — Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Salt Lake City in Utah.

This is a serious multi-day road trip! We strongly recommend breaking this journey up with an overnight stay to ensure you arrive safely and refreshed. Since you'll be heading mostly West, pack a good pair of sunglasses if you plan to drive during the late afternoon to avoid the harsh sun glare. For a trip of this distance, flying is significantly faster. However, driving offers the flexibility to explore stops along the way.

Coordinates come from public place data for Carlsbad Caverns and Salt Lake City. The driving distance is estimated from straight-line distance with a road-factor model, so confirm the route in your navigation app. Fuel, flight, bus, and train values are planning estimates and can change by date, provider, road closures, and border rules.