Park Details
Maps!
Trails Illustrated - Carlsbad Caverns
ACREAGE:
Park Details
Location Information
Address:
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, NM 88220
Telephone:
(505) 785-2232
Directions:
Visitors arrive by way of U.S. Highway 62-180 from either Carlsbad, New Mexico (23 miles to the northeast) or El Paso, Texas (150 miles to the west). A scenic 7-mile (11.3 km) entrance road leads from the park gate at Whites City to the visitor center and cavern entrance.
Transportation:
Carlsbad is served by Greyhound and TNM&O bus lines. Mesa Airlines offers passenger service between Carlsbad and Albuquerque. Major airlines serve Albuquerque, El Paso, and Midland TX. Rental cars and taxi service are available from the airport at Carlsbad.
Operating Hours/Seasons
The park is open all year except for December 25. During the summer season (Memorial Day to mid-August) the visitor center is open from 8 AM to 7 PM and self-guided cave tours are available from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. During the rest of the year the visitor center is open from 8 AM to 5:30 PM and self-guided cave tours are available from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
Reservations/Permits/Fees
Climate, Recommended Clothing
The cave climate is cool and varies little from the annual 56° F (13° C) average. A light jacket or sweater, and comfortable shoes with rubber soles for good traction are appropriate year-round.
Facilities and Opportunities
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Information center, exhibits on bats, geology, history, and Lechuguilla Cave, limited picnic facilities. Picnicking and excellent bird-watching opportunities at Rattlesnake Springs.
Trails, Roadways:
Accessible nature trail and other backcountry hiking trails, 9-mile (14.5 km) Walnut Canyon desert loop drive.
Programs, Activities:
Self-guided cave tours with the Official Cavern Guide, regularly scheduled ranger-guided cave tours, audio-visual programs, talks, hikes and demonstrations. Evening bat flight programs May through October.
Lodging and Camping Facilities:
Not available in the park. Lodging and camping are both available in Whites City near the park entrance and in Carlsbad, 23 miles northeast.
Food, Supplies:
The Cavern Supply Company (505/785-2281) provides food service, pet kennels, and a gift shop at the visitor center. Restaurants, groceries, and fuel are available at nearby Whites City and Carlsbad.
Other Concessions, NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
The Carlsbad Caverns - Guadalupe Mountains Association operates a large bookstore in the visitor center, with titles on caves, bats and the natural history of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Accessibility:
The visitor center and a large section of the self-guided Big Room tour are wheelchair-accessible. An outdoor nature trail and picnic sites near the visitor center and at Rattlesnake Springs, are also accessible.
Recommended Activities/Park Use
Participation in various cave tours matching interest and physical abilities, summer bat flight viewing, surface ranger programs, wildlife observations, and participation in educational seminars offered in the summer through the Carlsbad Caverns - Guadalupe Mountains Association.
Visitation
Park use is highest in the months of June, July, and August, and generally on weekends and holidays. January is the least busy month. From 1984 to 1994, total annual visitation ranged from 586,954 (1990) to 645,526 (1985).
Basic Visit Recommendations:
The basic self-guided cave tour of the Big Room takes 1 to 2 hours. For a more complete visit including several guided cave tours and surface ranger programs, plan on visiting for 1 to 3 days.
Visitor Impacts:
Call for information on road closures due to flooding or icy conditions (rare).
Adjacent Visitor Attractions
Additional Information
Write Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220,
or call (505) 785-2232.
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