The road travels mostly west from there in a somewhat winding path leading to Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitors Center.

The highway travels north-northwest through Whites City and after 0.5 miles (0.80 km) reaches the boundary of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

From there the road follows the bottom of the Walnut Canyon winding through the northeastern end of the Guadalupe Ridge mountains slowly changing direction from northern to western.

Shortly after passing a 5 mile mark, the highway turns sharply south climbing up the ridge, swings east and arrives at the Visitors Center.

[3] After the Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established in 1923 a road was built connecting it to Route 18 (modern day US 62 /US 180).