General information about the National Park
Carlsbad Caverns NP protects huge limestone caves. There are about 83 of them, including the deepest known cave in the USA (487m).
Current 2024: Permits are also required for all self-guided tours in 2024. Each permit costs 1$/person. The exact details of how to obtain a permit can be found on the reservation page.
Number of visitors
In 2023, Carlsbad Caverns NP ranked 45th in the visitor statistics of the most visited national parks.
Best time to visit: From April until autumn you can observe the native bats during their evening flight.
Our visits:
So far 2 visits: August 1994, February 2018
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 15$/person valid for 3 days
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open all year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Carlsbad Caverns NP
Description: The largest of the caves in the territory of the National Park is accessible to tourists and can be entered by two ways. On the one hand, you can take an about 1mi long trail via the natural entrance, and on the other hand, you can choose the comfortable option with the elevator.
But Carlsbad Caverns are also known for the enormous amount of bats that have established their summer quarters here. From about April, the Mexican bulldog bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) come here from Mexico to give birth to their young and spend the summer. From about the end of October they leave the cave again and go to their winter quarters in Mexico. The bats were also the reason why the cave was discovered in the first place around 1900. Because the early settlers of the area noticed the huge bat swarms.
Since 1995, the Carlsbad Caverns have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our rating: The cave is very impressive. We stood in disbelief in the huge cave and could hardly get enough of the bizarre limestone formations. Just entering the cave via the natural entrance was an experience in itself. It descends steeply for a mile. Unfortunately, the photos can not even begin to reflect the beauty and size of the cave. For us, it's a place you should definitely visit once. We just loved it.
