The largest caverns in North America include a plethora of underground caves and rock formations, but also trails that go through canyon walls and thousands of bats.
These are some of the things that make it worth it to go visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. And while the caverns are off the beaten path and are not directly on the more classic routes of the American Southwest, anyone planning a trip to New Mexico or North Texas should take the opportunity to go. Located 3 hours from White Sands National Park and 2 hours from El Paso, it is an excellent intermediate stop when traveling between the two states.
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Location and Directions
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in southeastern New Mexico, not far from the border with Texas. The park entrance is located at the end of the Carlsbad Caverns Highway, a road that branches off US-62. To get there from Albuquerque, which is about 5 hours away, one must take highway I-40 (which corresponds to Route 66) east to the intersection with US-285.
Proceed on this road to Carlsbad, where you turn right onto US-62, also known as the National Parks Highway. In about twenty minutes you reach a small town called Whites City where the Carlsbad Caverns Highway branches off to the right, leading to the park entrance.
If you are coming from Texas, there are two options. You will either enter New Mexico via US-62 (which is possible either from the west from El Paso or from the east from the rest of the state), or along US-285 if you are coming from the southern part of the state. In either case, you will reach Carlsbad and then follow the directions given above.
Hours and Admission
The park is open year-round, except for New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. The visitor center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but access to the cave is from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. You can only enter the cave within this timeframe, but once inside there is plenty of time to visit.
Those who hike have until 3:30 p.m. to make their way to the exit (so that you can be out by 4:30 p.m. at the latest). Alternatively, visitors also have access to the elevator until 4:45 p.m.
The ticket costs $15 per person, for people 16 years of age and older. Once purchased, the ticket is valid for three days, so it can be used to enter the park more than once if you decide to stay overnight nearby.
Admission is free on five days of the year on special holidays: January 16, April 22, August 4, September 23 and November 11. Since it is a national park, you do not have to pay for a ticket if you have an America The Beautiful Pass.
American the Beautiful Pass Information
To enter the caves, you must reserve the ticket in advance. You pay for your ticket at the entrance (or present your parks card if you have one), but it is mandatory to make a reservation beforehand to enter the caves because only a limited number of people can enter each hour. This reservation costs $1 and is regardless of whether or not you have the America the Beautiful Pass.
Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers one of the most spectacular underground experiences in the United States. The Big Room is the largest and most fascinating chamber in this cave complex and the main reason why so many tourists come here each year. Not to mention Carlsbad Caverns is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the country.
The Caves and Rock Formations
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is not just one cave, but rather a complex of more than 120 interconnected caves. They range in size from the enormous Big Room to small, cramped caves with a wide variety of rock formations that make each room different from the others. The majority of the visit is concentrated in the Big Room. It is the largest and most spectacular cave in the park, but not only that: 256 ft high, 623 ft wide, and 0.7 miles long, it is the largest cave in North America. Others are longer (e.g., the cave system at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky), but they do not have such a large hall.
It is in this cave that one can see the most spectacular rock formations in the park, which originated from the passage of acidic underground waters that over millions of years carved out the rocks and created the stalactites and stalagmites dripping from the cave ceiling. Among the most striking formations are the Sword of Damocles, the Temple of the Sun, the Lion’s Tail, and the Rock of Ages. There is even a stalagmite that looks like the Statue of Liberty. Also, not to be missed is the Bottomless Pit– undoubtedly the scariest part of this cave. Other smaller caves branch off from the Big Room, including the Lower Cave and the complex of rooms accessed on the King’s Palace tour, which includes the Queen’s Room and the Indian Newborn Room.
Other beautiful rooms in the complex include the Bell Rope Room (the reason for the name is the presence of a long narrow stalactite that disappears into a hole in the ceiling), the Chocolate Room (a labyrinth of passages that winds above a mud pit), the Green Lake Room (named for the puddle found there and the color given by the malachite stone), and the Guadalupe Room, which is the second largest after the Big Room and is full of stalactites.
In addition, as you enter through the Natural Entrance, you pass through the Bat Cave, where bats sleep hanging from the ceiling, and see numerous interesting formations along the way. Among them, the Devil’s Spring, Whale’s Mouth, Natural Bridge, Hippopotamus Cub, American Eagle, and Three Little Monkeys deserve to be mentioned.
Carlsbad Caverns Bat Cave
Carlsbad Caverns is famous for being home to a colony of hundreds of thousands of bats. The Mexican free-tailed bat, the species that lives in these caves and is widespread throughout Mexico and the southwestern United States, is small in size and feeds on insects. The colony inhabiting Carlsbad Caverns consists of 200,000 to 500,000 bats, but at certain times they can exceed one million. Every evening from May to October visitors can admire the flight of the bats, which emerge from the caves at dusk and fill the sky hunting for insects. They fly at speeds of up to 25 mph, and their acrobatics are truly fascinating.
Near the entrance to the caves there is an area called the Bat Flight Amphitheatre, in which the Bat Flight Program is held every summer evening. A ranger usually gives a presentation about these tiny flying mammals, their habits and their flight. Participation is free, but to view the bats from this prime location, it is forbidden to bring smartphones, cameras or any other electronic devices that might disturb them. The best time to see them is in late summer, from August to October, because at this time the pups born in early summer begin to fly. This time period is also marked by the arrival of migratory bats that travel here from colonies located further north.
Plan your Visit to Carlsbad Caverns
While in many U.S. parks you can easily get around by car, or go hiking without much difficulty, when it comes to caves and caverns, it requires extra planning. To visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park, you need to arrive at a certain time of day, have appropriate clothing, and make reservations for your visit. You can either visit the park independently or on ranger-guided tours. Since it is mandatory to book in advance the time of entry, before you arrive, it is good to have a clear idea of what you want to do during your visit.
Clothing, Footwear and Equipment
Because the interior of the caves is very wet, the paths are often wet and slippery. Therefore, you should wear appropriate shoes (not shoes with smooth soles) and should not go into the park wearing sandals or flip-flops. In addition, for some of the ranger-led tours, it is mandatory to wear hiking shoes or boots with lug soles.
The temperature in the cave can be cooler than the temperature outside, especially if you visit the park in summer when the temperature outside is much higher. Inside, the temperature is 55° F, which is constant throughout the year. Therefore, I advise you to dress appropriately to keep you warm when you enter the cave. It should also be borne in mind that the caves are dimly lit, so I recommend you bring a flashlight, although it is not mandatory, in order to have a fuller experience of the caverns.
Carlsbad Caverns Self Guided Tour
There are two ways to enter the caves: either by walking on the Natural Entrance Trail, or, the shorter alternative, via an elevator, known as the Big Room Trail.
- Natural Entrance Trail. This is the more complete trail to the entrance to the caves and descends underground by a steep switchback trail for about one mile until you reach the Big Room. On the way, you will pass through the bat cave and see striking rock formations.
- Big Room Trail. Instead, this route begins with an elevator from the Visitor Center that descends directly to the entrance to the largest cave in the complex, the Big Room. From here you can take a flat mile long trail or an even shorter trail (about 0.6 miles).
Carlsbad Caverns Tours
Park rangers offer a number of guided tours that you can join if you want to get to the heart of these caves, their history and their best-kept secrets. Some of the most impressive tours include the Lower Cave Tour, which provides access to a deep cave via a ladder, the Spider Cave Tour, which is very challenging and requires climbing and squeezing through narrow passages, or the Hall of the White Giant, which is long and strenuous but equally fascinating.
Then there is the King’s Palace Tour. It is 1 mile long, takes about an hour and a half, and takes place twice a day: at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The cost is $8 in addition to the regular entrance fee. Children ages 4 to 16 pay $4, while children younger than 4 are not eligible for this tour. A ranger will lead participants through four chambers to the deepest part of the cave, or at least the area that is accessible to visitors. Thanks to this guided tour one can admire the beauty of the caves, stalactites, stalagmites, and distinctive rock formations. The descent and subsequent ascent are very steep, so it is not recommended for those who have difficulty walking.
Depending on the time period, various tours are either activated or suspended. To find out which tours are currently active, you can check this page on the official website.
Carslbad Caverns Trails
Although the major attractions are underground, the park area is extensive and also includes a number of trails on the surface. Starting from the Visitor Center, it is possible to take an 18-mile scenic drive on Reef Top Circle – a loop that provides a sweeping view of the entire area. There is also the option to go hiking on the several marked trails. Here are the main walking trails that start from Reef Top Circle which also have spaces to park near the entrance of the individual trails.
- Walnut Canyon Trail. A short trail that is only 0.1 miles that allows you to reach the overlook of Walnut Canyon in a matter of minutes. The entrance is located in the section of the Carlsbad Cavern Hwy that also corresponds to the Reef Top Circle.
- Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail. This loop trail starts directly from the Visitor Center and also passes by the Bat Flight Amphitheater. It is roughly one mile long and along the way there are signs that provide information about this desert area.
- Lower Rattlesnake Canyon Trail. Rattlesnake Canyon is fascinating and can be visited by taking two routes. The routes start from the same place and they split after 0.87 miles. From the junction, turn left and walk 1.36 miles to Lower Canyon (so a total of about 4 miles round trip).
- Upper Rattlesnake Canyon Trail. If you turn right at the junction instead, you can visit the northern part of the canyon and reach the junction with the Guadalupe Ridge Trail in 2 miles (2.87 miles counting the first 0.87 miles section from the road). It is also possible to make a loop, if you turn right on the Guadalupe Ridge Trail, get to the road and follow it to the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail parking area. In this case, the loop comes to 5.9 miles.
- Guadalupe Ridge Trail. This is a very long trail that continues from here through the Guadalupe Escarpment Wilderness Study Area, crosses the New Mexico-Texas border, and reaches the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This trail extends for 100 miles, so it is obviously not a day hike, but rather a multi-day hiking route. However, you can always limit yourself to hiking the first section if you want to hike a little longer.
- Juniper Ridge Trail. This trail is about 3 miles long and offers views of the northern area of the park.
- Old Guano Trail. The trail connects Whites City to the entrance to the caves. It is about 4 miles long and was the old dirt road used to transport guano (bat droppings, which are an excellent fertilizer) in the early 1900s.
In addition to the main entrance to the park, the Visitor Center entrance, there is also another entrance that provides access to additional trails. It is located further south Gartersnake Road, past the caves, and a 25-minute drive from Whites City. The main trails in this area are as follows:
- Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail. A trail only 0.6 miles long but is considered difficult because it is very steep. It leads to the entrance of a cave that can only be visited if accompanied by park guides.
- Slaughter Canyon Trail. It starts from the same parking lot as the previous one but is much longer: 5.3 miles (so over 10 miles round trip). It is challenging, but beautiful. It ends on the ridge where it joins the Guadalupe Ridge Trail.
- Yucca Canyon Trail. Accessible via a side road leading to another parking lot, this trail is challenging and climbs quickly up a side canyon to the ridge. The effort is rewarded by the impressive views at the top. It is 7.7 miles long, so if you intend to do it all you have to consider a full day’s hike because round trip it is almost 15 miles with an uphill elevation gain of 1,522 ft.
Places to Stay Near Carlsbad Caverns
Near the entrance to the park there is only one motel, White’s City Cavern Inn, which has a restaurant and swimming pool. It is an ideal place to stay if you arrive in the evening and plan to visit the caves for the next day, or if you have to stay overnight here in the evening after your visit.
If you are looking for a wider selection of accommodations as well as restaurants for dining, the best place to spend the night nearby is Carlsbad, a quiet city that offers several overnight options. We recommend, for example, the Comfort Suites Carlsbad. If you prefer not to spend much but still have all the basic amenities, two good options are the Sleep Inn & Suites Carlsbad Caverns Area and the Quality Inn & Suites Carlsbad Caverns Area.
All accommodations in Carlsbad
If you are traveling to southern New Mexico, for example to visit both this park and White Sands National Park, an excellent intermediate stop is Artesia. Two nice and affordable hotels are the Adobe Rose Boutique Inn and La Quinta by Wyndham Artesia.
