Carlsbad Caverns National Park
High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes.
Alerts
- InformationFire Restrictions
Fire restrictions have been lifted at Carlsbad Caverns which means that fires such as charcoal fires in grills and the use of camp stoves or portable grills will be allowed. Igniting and maintaining an open fire must be done with materials that are commonly used for warmth and food preparations such as natural firewood or charcoal briquettes.
- InformationNPS ↗Closures Due to Flood Damage
Some areas of the park including Walnut Canyon Desert Drive and some trails remain closed after extensive flood damage. The main park road to the visitor center and cavern is open.
- InformationNPS ↗Items Worn or Used in Other Caves Not Allowed
A disease known as White-Nose Syndrome is killing bats in North America. To prevent it from spreading to our bats, do not wear shoes, clothing, or bring any gear into any cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park that were in another cave.
- InformationNPS ↗Timed Entry Ticket Required to Enter Carlsbad Cavern
Reservations are highly recommended and can be purchased by clicking "more" or calling 877-444-6777. Reservations only select the entry time. Upon arrival at the visitor center, an entrance pass must be purchased.
- InformationFootwear in the Cavern
For safety, closed-toe shoes with good traction are recommended. Flip flops, sandals, and some walking shoes have little or no traction and increase the possibility of slips, trips, and falls. Watch your step and use the handrails when necessary.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Per PersonEntrance fee provides access to Carlsbad Cavern by elevator and hiking in. Ranger-guided tours are an additional fee and can be reserved on recreation.gov. | $15 | |
| Tours & reservations | ||
| Carlsbad Cavern ↗Jan–DecRequired to Enter Carlsbad Cavern | $1 | |
An entrance fee is required to enter Carlsbad Cavern and provides access by elevator and hiking in. Ranger-guided tours are an additional fee and can be reserved on recreation.gov.
Hours
| Hours | Daily · 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
>> RESERVATIONS REQUIRED to enter cavern and must be purchased at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. The reservation is only for selecting the entry time. Entrance tickets will need to be purchased at the visitor center.
Explore
Things to do
- Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area
Have a relaxing picnic among tall cottonwood trees and watch for a variety of birds.
Opens on the Park Service site - Lower Cave Tour3 Hours
In 1924, National Geographic expedition members wrote about the wonders of Lower Cave. Visitors today can see the evidence left behind from those and other explorers.
Opens on the Park Service site - King's Palace Tour90 Minutes
The King's Palace Tour takes visitors through four highly decorated chambers and the deepest portion of the cavern open to the public.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walnut Canyon Desert Drive1 Hour
Discover canyon views, desert plants, and wildlife along this unpaved road.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Cavern at Your Own Pace1-3 Hours
The Big Room and Natural Entrance trails can be enjoyed at your own pace. The Big Room Trail is easy to moderate in difficulty. The Natural Entrance Trail is strenuous. Enjoy one or both to experience a variety of cave formations.
Opens on the Park Service site - Guadalupe Ridge Trail (GRT)5-6 Days
This trail covers 100 miles (161 km) through Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Lincoln National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Over 20 miles (32 km) of this trail is within Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail30 Minutes
Enjoy views of the Guadalupe Mountains and explore Chihuahuan Desert plant life along this short 0.7 mile (1.1 km) loop trail.
Opens on the Park Service site - Night Sky Programs1-2 Hours
Enjoy the night sky at Carlsbad Caverns National Park during a ranger-led night sky program.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bat Flight Program0-60 Minutes
Enjoy an evening ranger talk about the park's population of Brazilian Free-tailed Bats and experience their emergence from Carlsbad Cavern.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walnut Canyon Overlook Trail5 Minutes
This short 180 yards (165 m) paved walkway provides great views of Walnut Canyon.
Opens on the Park Service site - Juniper Ridge Trail3 Hours
Enjoy the Chihuahuan Desert in a serene landscape along this 3.5 mile (5 km) trail.
Opens on the Park Service site - Old Guano Trail2 Hours
This 3.7 miles (6km) trail descends the escarpment, ending at the White's City campground.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Events
- Bat Flight Program10/1405:30 PM · runs through Oct 31 · freeThe seating area where you will sit to watch the bats is located at the Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern, about a five minute…
- Night Hike10/2306:15 PM · runs through Oct 25 · free · registration requiredAll hikes will begin after the Bat Flight Program. Meet the rangers at the park sign in front of the visitor center at the…
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Carlsbad Caverns. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for Carlsbad Caverns National Park and New Mexico's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthGreater Roadrunner 2× · Great Horned Owl 2× · Ringtail 1× · Eastern Fox Squirrel 1× · Osprey 1× · Flammulated Owl 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 367 birds, 68 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Burrowing Owl · Common Black-Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Elf Owl · Ferruginous Hawk · Flammulated Owl · Golden Eagle · Gray Hawk · Great Horned Owl · Harris's Hawk · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Mississippi Kite · Northern Harrier · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Short-tailed Hawk · Spotted Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl · White-tailed Kite · Zone-tailed Hawk
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Black-bellied Whistling-Duck · Black-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Common Goldeneye · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Green Heron · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · Least Bittern · Lesser Scaup · Neotropic Cormorant · Northern Pintail · Pied-billed Grebe · Ring-necked Duck · Ruddy Duck · Sandhill Crane · Snow Goose · Snowy Egret · Tricolored Heron · Tundra Swan · Virginia Rail · Western Grebe · White Ibis · White-faced Ibis · Wood Duck · Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Avocet · American Woodcock · Baird's Sandpiper · Black Tern · Greater Yellowlegs · Killdeer · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Long-billed Curlew · Long-billed Dowitcher · Red-necked Phalarope · Ring-billed Gull · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Solitary Sandpiper · Spotted Sandpiper · Upland Sandpiper · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesBand-tailed Pigeon · Common Ground-Dove · Eurasian Collared-Dove · Inca Dove · Montezuma Quail · Mourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Ring-necked Pheasant · Ringed Turtle-Dove · Rock Pigeon · Ruddy Ground-Dove · Scaled Quail · White-winged Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Ladder-backed Woodpecker · Lewis's Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Red-naped Sapsucker · Williamson's Sapsucker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsAnna's Hummingbird · Black-chinned Hummingbird · Blue-throated Hummingbird · Broad-billed Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Calliope Hummingbird · Chimney Swift · Costa's Hummingbird · Lucifer Hummingbird · Magnificent Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Baird's Sparrow · Baltimore Oriole · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Bell's Vireo · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-billed Magpie · Black-capped Vireo · Black-chinned Sparrow · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-necked Stilt · Black-tailed Gnatcatcher · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Black-throated Sparrow · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed Vireo · Blue-winged Warbler · Bobolink · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Bronzed Cowbird · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bullock's Oriole · Bushtit · Cactus Wren · Canada Warbler · Canvasback · Canyon Towhee · Canyon Wren · Cape May Warbler · Carolina Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Sparrow · Cassin's Vireo · Cave Swallow · Cedar Waxwing · Cerulean Warbler · Chestnut-collared Longspur · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chihuahuan Raven · Chipping Sparrow · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored Sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Common Grackle · Common Moorhen · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Connecticut Warbler · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Crissal Thrasher · Curve-billed Thrasher · Dark-eyed Junco · Dickcissel · Dusky Flycatcher · Dusky-capped Flycatcher · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood-Pewee · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Field Sparrow · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-crowned Sparrow · Golden-winged Warbler · Grace's Warbler · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Flycatcher · Gray Vireo · Gray-cheeked Thrush · Great Crested Flycatcher · Great Kiskadee · Great-tailed Grackle · Greater Pewee · Greater Roadrunner · Green-tailed Towhee · Groove-billed Ani · Hammond's Flycatcher · Harris's Sparrow · Hepatic Tanager · Hermit Thrush · Hermit Warbler · Hooded Oriole · Hooded Warbler · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Hutton's Vireo · Indigo Bunting · Juniper Titmouse · Kentucky Warbler · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Le Conte's Sparrow · Least Flycatcher · Lesser Goldfinch · Lesser Nighthawk · Lesser Prairie-Chicken · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · Long-billed Thrasher · Louisiana Waterthrush · Lucy's Warbler · MacGillivray's Warbler · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Mccown's Longspur · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Nashville Warbler · Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet · Northern Cardinal · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-crowned Warbler · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Pacific-slope Flycatcher · Painted Bunting · Painted Redstart · Palm Warbler · Phainopepla · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Pinyon Jay · Piratic Flycatcher · Plumbeous Vireo · Prairie Warbler · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Pyrrhuloxia · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-faced Warbler · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-crowned Sparrow · Rusty Blackbird · Sage Sparrow · Sage Thrasher · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Scarlet Tanager · Scissor-tailed Flycatcher · Scott's Oriole · Sedge Wren · Song Sparrow · Sora · Southwestern Willow Flycatcher · Spotted Towhee · Sprague's Pipit · Steller's Jay · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Swainson's Warbler · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Thick-billed Kingbird · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Tree Swallow · Tropical Parula · Varied Bunting · Varied Thrush · Verdin · Vermilion Flycatcher · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Virginia's Warbler · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Scrub-Jay · Western Tanager · Western Wood-Pewee · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Worm-Eating Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-green Vireo · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler · Yellow-throated Vireo · Yellow-throated Warbler
Small mammalsBanner-tailed Kangaroo Rat · Black-tailed Jackrabbit · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Brush Mouse · Cactus Mouse · Chihuahuan Desert Pocket Mouse · Crawford's Desert Shrew · Deer Mouse · Desert Cottontail · Eastern Fox Squirrel · Eastern White-Throated Woodrat · Gray-footed Chipmunk · Hispid Cotton Rat · Hispid Pocket Mouse · Mearns' Grasshopper Mouse · Merriam's Kangaroo Rat · Mexican Ground Squirrel · Mexican Woodrat · Nelson's Pocket Mouse · North American Porcupine · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Northern Rock Mouse · Plains Harvest Mouse · Rock Squirrel · Silky Pocket Mouse · Southern Plains Woodrat · Spotted Ground Squirrel · Texas Antelope Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · Western White-throated Woodrat · White-ankled Mouse · White-footed Mouse · Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher
PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Black Bear · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Kit Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Mountain Lion · Northern Raccoon · Ringtail · Striped Skunk · Western Spotted Skunk · White-backed Hog-nosed Skunk
Hoofed mammalsCollared Peccary · Mule Deer · Pronghorn · Rocky Mountain Elk
BatsBig Brown Bat · Big Free-tailed Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Cave Myotis · Eastern Pipistrelle · Eastern Red Bat · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Pocketed Free-tailed Bat · Silver-haired Bat · Townsend's Big-eared Bat · Western Pipistrelle · Western Small-footed Myotis · Yuma Myotis
Also on the checklistAoudad
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Stargazing in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 13 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeast New Mexico. Summers are hot with temperatures between 90°F (32°C) and low 100s °F (38°C). Windy conditions and mild temperatures are common in early spring (March-May) with frequent rain in early fall (August-September). This part of the country also sees cold temperatures in the winter with occasional snow and icy conditions. Most days, the park is enveloped by a gorgeous blue sky with very few clouds, 278 sunny days a year!
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Carlsbad Caverns?
Entrance is $15 per person on foot or bike. Entrance fee provides access to Carlsbad Cavern by elevator and hiking in.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Carlsbad Caverns?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Carlsbad Caverns takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Carlsbad Caverns free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Carlsbad Caverns?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Carlsbad Caverns. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Carlsbad Caverns?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 2:30PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Carlsbad Caverns?
The Park Service lists no campgrounds inside Carlsbad Caverns.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Carlsbad Caverns right now?
5 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Fire Restrictions; Closures Due to Flood Damage; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Carlsbad Caverns?
410,778 recreation visits in 2025, number 127 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Carlsbad Caverns?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE. No reported coverage for Verizon and T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Carlsbad Caverns established?
1930, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers about 73 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Carlsbad Caverns?
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeast New Mexico. Summers are hot with temperatures between 90°F (32°C) and low 100s °F (38°C).
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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