The Carlsbad Caverns form one of the world's oldest cave systems, and according to National Park Service statistics, receive around 300,000 visitors per year. The caverns lie approximately 27 miles from the city of Carlsbad in the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, beneath the Chihuahuan Desert. The rugged landscape of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park conceals 117 known caves, including vast underground chambers.