How to Plan Your Carlsbad Caverns National Park Day Trip
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is known for being the deepest and largest underground cave in the American Southwest. You will find caverns full of long tunnels, limestone chambers, stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, cave pools, flowstone, draperies, and bats. There are several hiking trails within the park and it is common to spot Barbary sheep while visiting. Plan your visit with this Carlsbad Caverns National Park Travel Guide.
You are excited to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat while there. Researching the best things to do while visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park while working full time is overwhelming and you don’t have hours to spend on the internet. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip full of top activities with this Carlsbad Caverns National Park travel blog.
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Where is Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in Southeast New Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert of the Guadalupe Mountains off US Hwy 62/180. The closest airports are El Paso and Albuquerque. The park is a 2-hour drive from El Paso TX and a 4.5-hour drive from Albuquerque NM.
Facts About Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns became a designated national monument in 1923, a national park in 1930, and a World Heritage Site in 1995.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is 46,770 acres, and 2/3 of the area is designated wilderness.
There are 116 caverns in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
The natural entrance route descends 750 feet underground.
Carlsbad Caverns chamber, the Big Room, is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 225 feet tall.
The Big Room is the largest chamber in North America and 7th largest in the world.
Kings Palace, the deepest portion of Carlsbad Caverns, is 830 feet underground.
The temperature in the cave is 56 degrees at all times.
It is possible to see the Milky Way with the naked eye at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
4000,000 Brazilian free-tail bats live in the caverns.
Will Rogers compared Carlsbad Caverns to the Grand Canyon with a roof on it.
Best Time of Year to Visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Winter, fall, and spring are good times to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The main travel season is Memorial Day through Labor Day. Summer is hot with temperatures above 100 degrees. Late summer brings monsoon rains. Winter highs are between 50-60 degrees F.
Day Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Plan to spend 3 hours at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The highlight of the park is the underground cave. Park at the visitor center and watch the 16-minute Hidden World video.
Enter the cave through the natural entrance. The trail descends about 1.25 miles and will take about 1 hour to walk.
Highlights of the Natural Entrance include the Devil’s Spring, Whales Mouth, Devil’s Den, Iceberg Rock, and Witch’s Fingers.
Explore the Big Room on the self-guided 1.25 trail. Big Room highlights include the Caveman, Chinese Theater, Crystal Springs Dome, Temple of the Sun, the Chandelier, Mirror Lake, and the Bottomless Pit.
Return to above ground via the elevator traveling 79 stories in one minute.
Things to Do at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Watch the 16-minute film “Hidden World” in the visitor center.
Hike 79 stories below ground on the Natural Entrance 1.25-mile trail.
Take a self-guided tour of the Big Room.
Use the mailbox to send a postcard marked ‘mailed from 750 feet below ground.
Grab a sandwich at the underground café.
Cruise the scenic 9.5-mile Walnut Canyon Desert Drive.
Enjoy the .5-mile Desert Nature Trail.
Hike 6 miles RT on the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail to an old homestead.
Sign up for a 1.5-hour ranger-led tour of Kings Canyon.
Experience the cave without electricity or paved walkways on the 5.5-hour ranger-led primitive tour of Slaughter Canyon.
Watch the bats leave the cavern nightly from late May through October,
Where to Stay at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
There is no lodging or camping at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Camping is available in the nearby Guadalupe Mountains and Lincoln National Forest. Backcountry camping is allowed on the Guadalupe Ridge Trail by permit. Hotel accommodations are available in Carlsbad New Mexico.
Tips for Visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Purchase tickets online to ensure admittance.
Self-guided tours with audio guides are available.
Restrooms are available in the visitor center and underground rest area.
Bring a jacket, the temperature is consistently 56 degrees.
Cave trails are paved and well-lit.
The cave has 90% humidity and paths are often slick, wear close-toed shoes with good traction.
Never touch a cave formation, the oil on your hands ruins them.
Sound travels in caves, be sure to whisper.
Strollers are not allowed in the cave but infant daypacks are.
Pets are not permitted in the cave, there is a kennel service for a fee.
You may bring water into the cavern.
Be sure to check the website to ensure the elevator is operating.
Flash photography is permitted, be courteous of the person next to you.
Parts of the Big Room are wheelchair accessible.
Throwing coins or other objects into the cave pools is prohibited.
Be sure to practice Leave No Trace Principles.
Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass and keep exploring National Parks
Be sure to check with the Carlsbad Caverns National Park Service for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
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