I enjoyed the chance to see the plants and animals native to the desert. How often do you get to see kit fox in the wild? They had a couple of big, beautiful rattlesnakes--which I enjoyed seeing behind glass, and salamanders too. It's a bit of a hike to see all the animals (and it's hard to take shortcuts legally)... more

The town of Carlsbad is comprised mainly of motels and fast food places and there are only 2 reasons to visit it. One is the Caverns and the other is this museum which is located a mile or so off the main road which runs through the town. For an admission fee of $5, one can take a 1.3 mile... more

A nice place to spend 2 hours. The succulent display is small with little information and it can be hard to tell which signs go to which plants, but there are some interesting plants to see. The aviary is fun and you can see roadrunners and get close enough to a turkey to touch it (but don't; I'm pretty sure... more

I am stunned to find good reviews of this place. It was such a disappointment. The concept is good and the staff was friendly. However, this is a place that is in desperate need of some funding and updates. Many exhibits were empty. There were few animals we actually saw. The aviary has a few birds in it but not... more

For the first time while visiting the caverns we went to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, it is worth the trip to Carlsbad in itself! On a hilltop overlooking the town, it is more of a botanic garden that takes in injured animals. Some are released again, others cannot be but they are in humane enclosures and... more

Took a look at Living Desert State Park while staying at Brantley Lake State Park near Carlsbad. Living Desert is a Zoo/Plant & Information Park that is well worth the stop while checking out the Caverns, the place has a nice collection of things to look at inside the building with alot of rocks and general information on the area.... more

This small zoo features plants and animals native to the Chihuahuan Desert. The walking trail winds through different habitat zones and the animals are in natural exhibits along the way. A visitor can learn a lot about the desert in this unique place. more

We visited in mid-Sept. A few areas were under construction but we still enjoyed the visit. I think it would be a nice place to spend a few hours with the kids. Glad we went in the morning as it got too hot by 11 am. Staff was very helpful and friendly. The visitor center is nicely done and very... more

Our stop here was a last-minute addition to our trip to the caverns, but it turned out we had much more fun at this site than at our original destination. The living desert was almost completely vacant as we marched through. What a treat. There were plenty of animals and things to see. Yes, it's a bit hot -- wear... more