Carlsbad Caverns National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Other Guides for Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Active and Adventure Destinations Near Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Travel Guides Near Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Southwest Active and Adventure States/Provinces

Active and Adventure Travel Destinations

advertisement
Stalactites in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico (Corbis)
Submit a travel tip

Submit a travel tip about Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Read Our House Rules

On This Page:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Active and Adventure Travel Tips

By Steve Metzger
  • Carlsbad Caverns began forming some two million years ago with water percolating through the honeycombed Guadalupe Ridge just south of where the town of Carlsbad now lies. Limestone and calcite deposits at times appear lunar, and at times like something out of Grimm’s fairy tales. The caverns are among the most famous in the world, and many of the otherworldly caves are open for public, ranger-led, and self-guided tours and exploration.
  • The self-guided Natural Entrance Tour begins at the visitor center and enters the cave through the main entrance—the same gaping hole from which bats depart on summer evenings. The moderately steep paved trail wanders by a number of stunning formations, including Whale’s Mouth, Iceberg Rock, and the Boneyard.
  • Also self-guided, the Big Room Tour begins with a 750-foot elevator descent to the cave’s floor, where a circuitous but mostly flat 1.25-mile trail explores the Big Room, including the 42-foot-high Twin Domes, the 62-foot-high Giant Dome in the Hall of Giants, and the Bottomless Pit, now known to be 140 feet deep.
  • More adventurous visitors can tour the primitive Slaughter Canyon Cave, which does not have electricity or paved paths. A strenuous half-mile walk takes you to the entrance, where rangers lead 25-member groups inside. Allow about three hours, wear sturdy shoes, and bring a flashlight and water for the excursion. Reservations are mandatory, so call 877-444-6777. To get to the parking lot, turn off of Highway 62/180 about five miles southwest of White’s City.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Most national parks celebrate natural beauty found above ground. At Carlsbad Caverns, the show takes place underground. More than 300 known caves lie beneath the surface of the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. The Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains 113 of these caves, two of which—Carlsbad Caverns and Lechuguilla Cave—are among the largest and most magnificent underground formations in the world. Read More

Ask a Question

Do you have a travel question about this destination or can you provide a tip to a fellow traveler?

ask a question

Join the discussion with Away.com's in-house experts in our travel Q&A.

1 Questions | 1 Answers

Hotels

Best Western Cavern Inn

6 Carlsbad Caverns Highway
White's City, NM 88268 Map

Distance: 3.9 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
3.0
from: $35

Super 8 Motel - Carlsbad

3817 National Parks Hwy
Carlsbad, NM 88220 Map

Distance: 18.8 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
3.0
from: $72

Days Inn Carlsbad

3910 National Parks Hwy.
Carlsbad, TX 88220 Map

Distance: 18.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated

Expert Rated & Recommended
3.0
All Carlsbad Caverns National Park Hotels »
advertisement

Attractions

Bat Flights

expert favorite attraction
Carlsbad Caverns National Park


Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Witness the mass exit of nearly 400,000 Mexican bats as they flood the evening sky above Carlsbad Caverns. In July and August, baby bats join the colony.... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour

From Carlsbad, 23 miles to northeast


Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: This tour, approximately one mile down the explorer's route, follows narrow paths past the Bat Cave, Devil's Spring, Green Lake Overlook, and the Boneyard. ... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Slaughter Canyon Cave

Carlsbad Caverns National Park


Distance: 4.8 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Slaughter Canyon Cave is filled with giant freestanding formations. Follow passages that branch out from the cave's main entrance and sides. ... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
All Carlsbad Caverns National Park Attractions »

Airports

Major Airports near Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Distance (mi.)
El Paso International Airport 116.7 map
Albuquerque International Airport 234.4 map

Other Smaller Airports near Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Distance (mi.)
Hobbs Lea County Airport 79.7 map
Roswell Industrial Airport 86.1 map
Alamogordo Municipal Airport 101.6 map

Feature Articles

See All Feature Articles on Carlsbad Caverns National Park »

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guides

»  All Active and Adventure Guides

Compare Rates

Powered by Trip.com
advertisement

Traveler's Currency Converter

Foreign Currency
U.S. Dollar Amount
$

Country
convert Currency

Powered by eZforex
advertisement