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Carlsbad Caverns National Park protects 119 caves, of which only 3 are open to the public. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site located in southeastern New Mexico.
Introduction to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Cavern was known to Native Americans for over 1,000 years before it was first explored by a settler. Jim White (1882-1946) claims to have discovered the cave in 1898 at the age of 16. He explored it using a homemade wire ladder and named many of the rooms and prominent formations.
Until 1925, a guano bucket was the only way to enter Carlsbad Cavern. The National Park Service then constructed a switchback ramp descending 750 feet below the surface. In 1932, they added an elevator to take visitors in and out.
President Calvin Coolidge established Carlsbad Cave National Monument on October 25, 1923. It became Carlsbad Caverns National Park on May 14, 1930, under President Herbert Hoover. In 1995, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The star attraction is Carlsbad Cavern, which features the largest chamber in North America. It’s also regarded as one of the most accessible and best-preserved caves in the world. The other two open to the public are Slaughter Canyon Cave and Spider Cave, which are undeveloped and accessible via ranger-guided tours only. Furthermore, ⅔ of Carlsbad Caverns is designated wilderness.
In addition to the caves, there are 10 hiking trails and an unpaved scenic drive. 17 species of bats live in the park. 300 species of birds have also been recorded within the park, which is astonishing considering around 500 have been recorded in the whole of New Mexico.
Planning Your Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
I spent one afternoon at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It definitely wasn’t enough to cover everything I wanted to see, and I hope to go back one day to do some of the hikes above ground. I would also like to take a ranger-guided tour of some areas of the cave not accessible on the self-guided tour.
If you’re ok with skipping the desert hikes or ranger-guided tours, you can get a good look at the most important section of the park on a self-guided tour of the main cave in just a half day. Check the official website for more info.
Before getting into some of the trails and highlights of the park, here’s some essential information to help you plan your trip:
Visitor Center at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
There’s one visitor center at the park. It’s located near the natural entrance to Carlsbad Cavern and is open daily from 9am to 5pm. There are exhibits on the geology, history, and wildlife of the park as well as a free 16-minute introductory film shown every half hour. A gift shop and restaurant are also on-site.
Entrance Fees for Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Once you arrive, you must purchase a ticket to the cave. The entrance fee is US$15 per person or free for kids under 16 (as of August 2025). An interagency pass admits the holder plus three adults, but if you’re entering with a pass, you’re still required to get a ticket from the ticket counter in the visitor center. Ranger-guided tours are not covered by passes.
The cavern itself is open from 8am to 2:15pm. The last ticket is sold at 2:15pm and the last cavern entry is allowed at 2:30pm. The last time to start hiking out of the cavern is 2:30pm and the last elevator out is at 4:45pm.
Timed Entry Tickets to Enter Carlsbad Cavern
Reservations are required to enter Carlsbad Cavern and must be purchased online in advance for US$1 (as of August 2025). All members of your party, regardless of age, must be included on the reservation and you must choose a time with a 60 minute window to enter the cave. The park is open year-round, and reservations are possible up to 30 days in advance.
Accommodation at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
There are no lodges or developed campgrounds at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, but camping is allowed in designated areas with a free backcountry permit. We stayed at the Great Western Inn and Suites in Carlsbad, just a short drive away. Our stay was so-so, but it was only for one night.
Activities at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Desert hiking, stargazing, and bat flight programs are some of the outdoor activities available. There are also a handful of caves open for experienced and beginner cavers by obtaining a free backcountry cave permit at least a month in advance. Check the official website for more information on all of these activities.
Ranger-Guided Tours at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Ranger-guided tours allow guests to explore inaccessible areas of the main cave as well as two other caves in the park for an extra fee. Space on these tours is limited and must be scheduled in advance. Minimum age limits vary for each tour.
Footwear Recommendations
Hiking boots or hiking shoes with good tread are recommended in the main cave and required on most ranger-guided tours. Open-toed shoes, flip-flops, sandals, or similar are not recommended and are forbidden on ranger-guided tours.
Bat Flight Amphitheater
The Bat Flight Amphitheater is located at the natural entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. Every evening between April and October, you can attend the free Bat Flight Program (as of August 2025). You’ll listen to a rangers give a talk about bats before watching them exit the cave for the night. No reservations are required for this spectacular phenomenon, and seating is first-come, first-served. If you get up early enough, between 4am and 6am, you can also watch the bats re-enter the cave for the day.
Carlsbad Cavern
My visit to Carlsbad Cavern was on an unusual day. The elevator wasn’t working so all visitors had to hike all the way down and back up to the entrance. Because of this issue, rangers granted everyone free entry for the day. It also meant we would have to start heading back up the ramp much earlier than planned.
We walked to the natural entrance of the cave from the visitor center. From there, we began our long walk down the switchback ramp.
On a normal day, we probably would have taken our time to admire the formations and features along the way. Instead, we rushed down and stopped only for a few photo ops. We didn’t really get a chance to read any of the interpretive panels along the way. After walking for about a half hour, we reached the cafeteria at the bottom of the ramp.
The Big Room
We thought we would be able to rush through the loop trail in the Big Room, one of Carlsbad Cavern’s main attractions, before heading back up. The Big Room is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 255 feet high at its highest point. Unfortunately, a ranger told us we had to start hiking back up to the entrance and wouldn’t allow us to go past the cafeteria. We only had about 10 minutes at the bottom to catch our breath before heading back up.
As you could imagine, although I was impressed with the cave, I was quite disappointed with my visit. It was definitely incomplete and our schedule was so tight there was no way we would be able to come back the next day to try again. I definitely plan to return in the future so I can fully concentrate on the cave features and spend more time in the park in general.
