#24 Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns was part of a one-two punch kind of day for me. After spending the morning at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I crossed the Texas border into New Mexico — a short 30-minute drive that delivered me to Carlsbad Caverns National Park by late morning. Thankfully, I had a reservation; timed entry tickets are required for cave access, so you’ll want to book those ahead.
The drive in is beautiful, winding through canyons and desert views before arriving at the Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center —
📍 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220.
The center itself is spacious and modern, with a museum exhibit on one side and a café and gift shop on the other. As usual, I made time to stop for a photo at the park sign and, of course, grab my passport stamp — one of my favorite little rituals at each national park I visit.
Outside, you’ll find the amphitheater where the park hosts its famous bat flight program from May through October. If you’re here at dusk, you can watch thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats spiral out of the cave entrance into the night — a sight that draws quite a crowd. Rangers usually give a talk beforehand, so it’s worth showing up early to grab a seat.
When it comes to entering the caverns, you have two choices:
• Take the elevator from the visitor center down 750 feet in under a minute,
• Or hike the Natural Entrance Trail, a steep, switchbacking descent roughly equivalent to walking down 75 stories.
I chose the walk — no surprise there.
That descent is honestly one of the highlights of the whole visit. You leave the bright, dry desert behind and step into cool, damp air, each turn taking you deeper into the quiet. The cavern system stays around 56°F year-round, and the deeper you go, the dimmer and more hushed it feels. You hear the occasional drip of water, the soft scuff of footsteps, and not much else. (Heads up: if you have knee or balance issues, you might want to take the elevator back up — the slope is no joke.)
At the bottom, you reach the Big Room — the park’s crown jewel and one of the largest underground chambers in North America. The 1.25-mile loop trail winds past towering stalagmites, delicate stalactites, shimmering draperies, and massive columns. I’ve been to dozens of national parks, but I was genuinely awed by the scale and beauty down here.
And the Big Room is just the tip of the iceberg. The park contains over 119 known caves, though most are closed to the public or require special ranger-led tours, like Spider Cave and Slaughter Canyon Cave. It’s wild to think how much of this underground world is still hidden and protected.
A Bit of History
Carlsbad Caverns became a national monument in 1923 and earned national park status in 1930. But people have known about these caves for far longer — evidence of Indigenous presence, including ancient pictographs, has been found near the cave entrance.
The person most credited with bringing attention to the site is Jim White, a teenage cowboy who explored the caverns by lantern in the 1890s. His early explorations helped spark public interest, eventually leading to the park’s UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1995.
Helpful Info
Fees: $15 per person (ages 16+); kids 15 and under are free. America the Beautiful passes are accepted.
Hours: Typically 8 AM–5 PM; check the NPS site for seasonal updates.
Reservations: Required for cave entry — book online in advance.
Accessibility: The Big Room Trail is wheelchair accessible if you use the elevator. The Natural Entrance Trail is steep and not recommended for those with mobility issues.
Best Photo Spots: Inside the caves, look for the Chandelier, Hall of Giants, Rock of Ages, and Mirror Lake. Above ground, catch sunset views or the bat flight at the amphitheater.
Night Sky Tip: Carlsbad Caverns is a Dark Sky Park, so if you stay after sunset, the stargazing is incredible — clear, dark skies with views of the Milky Way.
Hiking & Exploring: While the caves get all the attention, there’s also beauty above ground. Trails like Rattlesnake Canyon or the Walnut Canyon Desert Drive showcase desert landscapes dotted with agave, yucca, roadrunners, and lizards. The Guadalupe Ridge Trail even connects all the way to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, though most people just hike small sections.
If you visit, I’d suggest giving yourself at least 3–4 hours to explore — time to walk the caverns, check out the museum, grab your stamp, and maybe relax with a snack at the café. And if you can stick around after dark? Between the bats and the stars, Carlsbad Caverns offers just as much magic above ground as it does below.
