Carlsbad Caverns National Park
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 "extraordinary proportions and… unusual beauty and variety of natural decoration…"
In 1930, Congress designated the monument as Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Today, the park encompasses over 46,000 acres and more than 110 known caves. Lechuguilla Cave is one of the longest caves in the world and one of the deepest in North America. In addition to its many caves, the park contains one of the few protected portions of the northern Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. Much of the park's backcountry—over 33,000 rugged acres—was designated Wilderness in 1978 for its outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation. In 1995, the park became a World Heritage Site.
One of the deciding factors to include Carlsbad Caverns National Park as a World Heritage Site was Lechuguilla Cave and all of the scientific discoveries made there since 1986. That, along with the park's other geological and biological features, plus the overall size, beauty, and significance of Carlsbad Cavern, convinced the World Conservation Union and World Heritage Committee that the park met the criteria for designation.
Carlsbad Caverns In Depth
News from the Parks
If It Wasn't a Cougar, What Was It?
October 7, 2008 - 4:05pm
It's a wildlife whodunit. Is there a wild cougar roaming rural Jackson County, attacking livestock and spooking residents? Or is it just imaginations running wild?
October 7, 2008 - 4:05pm
It's a wildlife whodunit. Is there a wild cougar roaming rural Jackson County, attacking livestock and spooking residents? Or is it just imaginations running wild?
Shenandoah Park Making Personal Connections
October 7, 2008 - 4:01pm
A new project at Shenandoah National Park involves creating podcasts that will range from virtual hikes to features on flora, fauna and history. Another is the offering of hand-held "GPS Ranger" view screens that will not only guide visitors along park hikes, but display video clips as they reach spots along the way.
October 7, 2008 - 4:01pm
A new project at Shenandoah National Park involves creating podcasts that will range from virtual hikes to features on flora, fauna and history. Another is the offering of hand-held "GPS Ranger" view screens that will not only guide visitors along park hikes, but display video clips as they reach spots along the way.
Road Trip Reveals Wonder of the West
October 7, 2008 - 3:56pm
For each of the recent past four years, as the temperatures begin to drop overnight, my wife, Judy, and I get the urge to visit the mountains of Colorado. About two weeks ago we put some warm clothing in the Blazer and headed west.
October 7, 2008 - 3:56pm
For each of the recent past four years, as the temperatures begin to drop overnight, my wife, Judy, and I get the urge to visit the mountains of Colorado. About two weeks ago we put some warm clothing in the Blazer and headed west.
Crews Rescue Injured Hiker in Acadia National Park
October 7, 2008 - 3:41pm
Park rangers received the call at about 5 p.m. reporting an injured hiker on the West Face Trail that runs from Bubble Pond to the summit of Cadillac. The trail is rugged and steep and can be treacherous, according to Ranger Richard Rechholtz.
October 7, 2008 - 3:41pm
Park rangers received the call at about 5 p.m. reporting an injured hiker on the West Face Trail that runs from Bubble Pond to the summit of Cadillac. The trail is rugged and steep and can be treacherous, according to Ranger Richard Rechholtz.
Officials Weigh Benefits, Costs of Forest Fires
October 7, 2008 - 3:37pm
When officials decided not to stop the Tehipite fire east of Fresno, they got three big payoffs -- a cheaper fire to manage, reduced risk for firefighters and cleanup of dangerously overgrown forest. But this fire -- which has burned 11,000 acres since mid-July -- worries the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Officials fear smoke and ozone-creating gases might harm air quality.
October 7, 2008 - 3:37pm
When officials decided not to stop the Tehipite fire east of Fresno, they got three big payoffs -- a cheaper fire to manage, reduced risk for firefighters and cleanup of dangerously overgrown forest. But this fire -- which has burned 11,000 acres since mid-July -- worries the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Officials fear smoke and ozone-creating gases might harm air quality.
