Carlsbad Caverns: 5 Things That Make This National Park Special
In the summer of 2019, we bought a National Parks pass for our road trip. On our way home, though, we had to bypass some of the things we wanted to do, including Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Amid our discussion, we decided to take a trip there before our pass was up. Eleven months later, we were on the road again. We stopped at some neat little spots, including the Big Texan Steakhouse, the Buddy Holly statue, and kissing the Blarney Stone in Shamrock, Texas.
Here’s a bit more information to help you decide if you would like to visit this special national park:
What Makes Carlsbad Caverns so special?
The Cave
The biggest draw to the caverns are the bats and the caves. This National Park has over 300 caves, but the most well-known is Lechuguilla Cave.
Lechuguilla Cave is the deepest and fourth-longest limestone cave in the United States. Visitors can hike the area at any time of year. Even in the summer, when New Mexico’s desert temperatures are showing off, it’s still cool in the cave, so you don’t have to worry about sweating too much.
If you or someone in your group has trouble walking, there is also an elevator. The elevator descends 750 feet into the Underground Rest Area, which gives way to the Big Room.
We chose to take the Natural Entrance Trail. This trail descends 1.25 miles (2 km), equivalent to walking up or down a 75-story building. Needless to say, it’s a great workout!
The Bats
From late May to early October, visitors can see the bats enter the cave in the morning and exit in the evening. Finding the viewing area for this is relatively easy as it’s at the Bat Flight Amphitheater, located at the Natural Entrance.
The evening event features a park ranger who will tell visitors about the bats. Depending on the time of year, early risers can see the bats entering independently between 4 and 6 A.M.
You will notice I have no pictures of this in my photos because it’s not allowed. Bats need silence and no distractions, or their behaviors will naturally differ from what you see at the event.
How do you get there?
The address for Carlsbad Caverns is 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
In your GPS, type in White’s City, New Mexico, which is where the park entrance is found.
How Long Should You Plan to Be There?
This depends on what you want to do. We arrived shortly after lunch and stayed until after the bats’ ascent out of the cave around eight o’clock that night.
It takes a half hour to descend if you are hiking into Lechuguilla Cave. Then, another hour and a half to explore the Big Room. After that, you still have to hike out, making this cave about two and a half hours.
There is also a guided tour of King’s Palace Cave, which takes an hour and a half.
Where Should You Stay and Eat When Visiting Carlsbad Caverns?
This National Park offers no overnight camping. Here are some recommended overnight stays nearby:
- White’s City Cavern Inn: The hotel is basic, but there are many fun things for the kids to do, with a mini waterpark on site.
- If an Airbnbs is more your thing, there is a cute shipping container in Carlsbad.
- Of course, we can’t forget the RV/van-lifers around here! Carlsbad is surrounded by quite a bit of BLM land, which is free to camp at (no hookups) for up to two weeks.
Regarding restaurants, I remember only one right outside of Carlsbad Caverns: the Cactus Cafe. A snack area is inside the national park, at the general store, and another is inside the big room in Lechuguilla Cave. If you decide to get food in the cave, remember it must be eaten inside the restaurant area.
Wrapping It Up
Watching it with bats flying out to get their nightly bug snack is pretty special if you are a sunset kind of person. Bonus? The benefit of hiking comfortably when it’s super hot outside, and you have the makings for a special treat. Add it to your bucket list today!
Looking for something else fun to do that involves animals? Check out our trip to the San Diego Zoo.
