Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Welcome to Carslbad Caverns National Park, located in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. Underneath the surface scattered with prickly pears, chollas, sotols and agaves lie more than 300 known caves. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, creating some of the largest caves in North America.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: John BenjaminPhone Number: 505-785-2232
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $6; Children 15 years old and under: Free
Sights: Chihuahuan Desert, Big Room; Mexican Freetail Bats; Bottomless Pit; Giant Dome; Rock Of Ages; Painted Grotto
Endangered Species: Gray-banded Kingsnake
Important Dates
Established as Park: May 14, 1930By The Numbers
Acres: 46,766.00Highest Point: Guadalupe Ridge (6535 feet)
Annual Visitation: 407,367 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :32.175280 / -104.443290 (map it)
State: NM
Nearby Big City: Carlsbad, NM
Gateway Communities: Whites City, NM; Carlsbad, NM; Loving, NM; Malaga, NM
Nearby Airports: Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ); El Paso International Airport (ELP); Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB); Midland International Airport (MAF)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Cave Interior
John Blanton
Stalactites
John Blanton
Carlsbad Caverns, 2770
National Park Service
View More Carlsbad Caverns Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs RANGER-GUIDED TOURS Kings Palace The Kings Palace tour, a 1.5-hour ranger-guided tour through four highly decorated chambers, departs from the underground rest area. You will descend to the deepest po ... read more.
Flora & Fauna ANIMALS The diversity of habitats in the park, including permanent flowing water at Rattlesnake Springs, provides for an exciting array of wildlife. This diversity is further benefited by the positio ... read more.
History of Carlsbad Caverns The park's cultural resources represent a long and varied continuum of human use starting in prehistoric times, and illustrating many adaptations to the Chihuahuan Desert environment. Human activitie ... read more.
Just For Kids Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers a variety of wonderful opportunities to learn about the natural resources of the park for children. Caves are amazing places for curious kids—a question ... read more.
Park Regulations for Carlsbad Caverns General Rules Please review the following rules before your trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Students and group participants (to include scouting groups, civic or special-interest clubs and or ... read more.
Planning Your Visit to Carlsbad Caverns A visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park is most enjoyable when it is pre-planned. We suggest you begin by deciding which tours are appropriate for you and your family. Make reservations for guided ... read more.
Preserving Carlsbad Caverns The purposes for which the park was established as articulated in the 1923 Enabling Legislation, the 1978 Wilderness designation, and the 1996 General Management Plan guide management at Carlsbad C ... read more.
Sights To See in Carlsbad Carlsbad Cavern Caves Hall of White Giants Kings Palace Left Hand Tunnel Lower Cave Slaughter Canyon cave Spider Cave Cave Formations Natural Entrance Devils Den Witches Finger Iceberg Green Lake R ... read more.
Visitor Services Visitor Center The visitor center is open every day except December 25 and is your first stop on your visit to the cave. Here you can purchase tickets beginning at 8:30 a.m. each morning. Tickets may ... read more.
Welcome to Carlsbad Caverns On October 25, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge signed a proclamation creating Carlsbad Cave National Monument to protect Carlsbad Cavern and the area around it—nearly 720 acres—for its "e ... read more.
Who's Who in the Park Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association The Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association (CCGMA) is a private, non-profit organization whose main objectives are to provide interpretation ... read more.
Recent News
- Power back on at Carlsbad Caverns National Park May 7, 2008, 1:34 pm
Carlsbad Caverns In Depth
News from the Parks
Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
Dinosaur Fossils In Utah Inspire 'Jr. Paleontologists'
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
Can The Everglades Be Saved?
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
