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Visiting Carlsbad Caverns

by | Destinations, USA | 16 comments

Visiting Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico was one of the highlights of our road trip in this area. The caverns are huge! The formations inside the caverns are spectacular. I am tempted to say that this subterranean landscape is “out of this world” and, figuratively speaking, it is; however, touring Carlsbad Caverns serves as a reminder of the wonderful variety and fantastic scenery which is right here on planet Earth. Is it worth visiting Carlsbad Caverns? Yes, absolutely!

Carlsbad Caverns was designated a National Park in 1930 and a World Heritage Site in 1995. The park covers 46,766 acres and over a hundred caves. There is evidence that people entered the caverns over a thousand years ago, but modern exploration did not begin until the early Twentieth Century. It was then that the extraordinary wonder of the caves was realised. They are truly awe-inspiring.

Rock formations on a visit to Carlsbad Caverns

 

Where are the Carlsbad Caverns?

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in the south east of New Mexico, more specifically in the Guadalupe Mountains in Chihuahuan Desert. It is within easy reach of Roswell (you know, where the aliens landed!) and not far from the border with Texas. The next stop on our road trip after visiting Carlsbad Caverns was the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is in Texas and just a short drive away.

Tickets for Carlsbad Caverns

Tickets for Carlsbad Caverns, at the time of writing, cost $15, or if like us, you have the National Parks Pass (excellent value at $80 per couple for the year), entry is free. However, even with a National Parks Pass, it is necessary to reserve a slot to visit Carlsbad Caverns and this has to be done online. The reservation costs two dollars.

Exploring Carlsbad Caverns

We visited Carlsbad Caverns on a Monday morning and it was very quiet. We had reserved a visit time for 9.30 am but arrived about half an hour early and we were allowed straight in. If they had been busier, I am sure we would have had to wait for our allocated time.

Sign for Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Natural Entrance route 

Ranger guided tours are available in normal times, but in Covid times, these had been suspended.  There are two self-guided routes: the first involves taking the elevator down into the heart of the caverns and then walking around “The Big Room”; the second involves going through the “natural entrance” and walking down into the depths of the earth. We opted for the natural entrance (but we took the elevator back up!).

Visiting Carlsbad Caverns natural entrance

The Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Caverns

Before venturing into the caves, a friendly ranger gave us a little pep talk about the rules: no touching the walls, no litter, staying on the path and showing courtesy to others. I should note at this point that there were no “others”. Going through the natural entrance, we had the place entirely to ourselves until we were almost at the “Big Room”.

Looking back up to the Natural Entrance from inside Carlsbad Caverns

Looking back up from inside the natural entrance

Peter at start of the visit to Carlsbad Caverns

Down, down we went into the depths. The trail was smooth and easy with handrails the whole way. For the most part, the caverns we passed through were high and spacious, but occasionally the trail we followed became narrow and tighter. My main issue along the trail from the natural entrance was light. My night vision is quite poor and the path was only dimly lit so I took more care than I might have done otherwise.

Rock formations in Carlsbad Caverns

Whale’s Mouth, a formation on the trail from the Natural Entrance

Rock formations inside Carlsbad Caverns

Into “The Big Room”

The route from the natural entrance is awesome, but the Big Room is utterly stunning – and it goes on and on. The trail goes the whole way round the perimeter of this gigantic cavern and there is always something to marvel at. Sometimes, the light catches holes through into other chambers and tunnels leading off mysteriously. Where do they lead? How deep do they go? What lies beyond?

Rock formations seen when visiting Carlsbad Caverns

The caverns are truly magnificent! They are enormous and the formations are incredible – some huge and sturdy, others intricate and fragile, but all so very beautiful. The lighting helped to illuminate and enhance the natural beauty of the formations. The shapes created by the stalactites, stalagmites and other features were really evocative: there were monsters, teeth, fairies, trees, chandeliers, idols, aliens….a whole other world!

Wonderful formations on a Carlsbad Caverns visit

Inside Carlsbad Caverns

Lions tail formation in Carlsbad Cavrerns

Inside Carlsbad Caverns

Inside Carlsbad Caverns

Rock formation seen when visiting Carlsbad Caverns

Visiting Carlsbad Caverns: rock formations

There were some information boards along the way, but for the most part the cavern speaks for itself.  The sign below, however, can only be read in the inverted reflection in the water!

Mirror Lake inside Carlsbad Caverns. Sign reflected in the water

Mirror Lake

Inside Carlsbad Caverns

Rocky figures inside Carlsbad Caverns

Rocky teeth in Carlsbad Caverns

Rocky figures in Carlsbad Caverns

Inside Carlsbad Caverns

Toothy Rock Formations

Illuminated underground rocks

We only experienced a fraction of the complex which forms Carlsbad Caverns. Walking down from the Natural Entrance and round the Big Room, we walked about three miles and were underground for a little over two hours. Had we walked back up to the entrance rather than taking the elevator, it would have taken considerably longer. I am really pleased that we did take the natural entrance to the caverns as there was so much to see on the way down to the main area.

Tours of other chambers

Other tours (guided by the rangers) into some of the different chambers are available in normal times. These include visits to the King’s Palace, the Queen’s Chamber and Slaughter Canyon Cave. Alas, Covid had closed these chambers when we visited. Hopefully we shall have the opportunity to explore these on another occasion. Other, extensive chambers, stretching over 140 miles, are permanently closed to the public in order to protect the fragile eco-system within. These can be accessed only by experienced cavers for scientific purposes.

Conditions inside Carlsbad Caverns

Jane standing in Carlsbad Caverns

We had been advised to wrap up warm for our visit to Carlsbad Caverns.  In truth, whilst I would advise having a jacket, I did not find it particularly cold. It was airy and cool but not freezing. The cavern was largely dry, but we did feel the odd splash of water. The Natural Entrance route is described as “steep and strenuous”, but I found it very straightforward. The paths were all very easy and accessible.

The Flight of the Bats

Carlsbad Caverns is known for the remarkable flight of bats at dusk each evening from spring through to October. For this reason alone, it would make April to October the best time to visit Carlsbad. Thousands of bats swarm out of the cave to go and feed in the countryside to the south. I saw this phenomenon in Austin in Texas and it is a true spectacle. You can read about it in Quirky Bits from our US Road Trip. Unfortunately, we visited Carlsbad in early December so missed the show here. Next time!

Camping near Carlsbad Caverns

As we were on a road trip in our motor home, we needed a campsite close to the caverns. The closest “campsite” is at White’s City which is at the bottom of the road leading up to the caverns. Except that it isn’t really a campsite at all, at least not for short stays. Short term stays are not allowed on to the campsite apparently, but are allocated a slot at the side of the road. There was no negotiation on this. Yes, we had a full hook up, but it seemed that this facility is used as a pull in for any passing RV to take on water or to dump their waste. Twice we were unable to access our allocated (and paid for) pitch because someone else was using it.

This area was also used as a parking area for passing trucks, like the enormous one that pulled in off the road right in front of us at 7.00 am and sat with the engine idling for over half an hour.

The RV with a large truck parked in front

The road adjacent to our pitch was fairly quiet during the night, but the highway could be heard all night. This so-called campsite was littered with dog poop, had dumpsters full to over-flowing and lights immediately overhead which blinds did not block. All in all, this is the worst campsite we have ever stayed in. It cost $42.00 per night with a Good Sam discount.

I absolutely do not recommend staying at White’s City, but as we do not know the area I am unable to recommend any alternatives – except to note that there did appear to be some wild camps off the highway on the way down to Guadalupe!

Visiting Carlsbad Caverns: conclusion

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is right up there with the best National Parks in the USA. It is definitely worth going out of one’s way to visit.

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16 Comments

  1. Carlsbad Caverns are definitely worth the stop. We were there pre-Covid, so we’re able to see a few more things. We were there in the wrong season to see the bats as well. Wild camping in the area worked out well for us. I hope you hike to the high point of Texas! It will be no problem for you two veterans of hiking! See you soon.

    Reply
    • Yes, we hiked up Guadalupe Peak. Peter insisted we set off at dawn! Great hike, but that is a whole different post which I have not yet written!

      Reply
  2. What spectacular caverns! The natural entrance is stunning and the stalactite and stalagmite formations so beautiful. It’s interesting to learn how extensive the caverns are. And how great to have the place to yourselves for so much of the visit.

    Reply
  3. Places like these really remind us how much more of the world we need to explore! Amazing photos, and even though you couldn’t do a guided tour, having the caverns pretty much to yourself probably made up for it just a little 😉

    Reply
  4. As a geologist I simply love caves. The Carlsbad Caverns look like they belong on my bucketlist.

    Reply
  5. This looks incredible Jane. Sounds like you could spend the whole day there just visiting all the various sections. I’m always amazed at the wondrous shapes formed in caves. There is such a logical explanation for them but they always look so magical.
    Shame the campsite was so awful and at such a price too! You are our ‘go to peeps’ once we start road tripping the US!

    Reply
    • Happy to help, Shelley!

      Reply
  6. Wow, the caves are quite impressive. It looks well worth a visit. I would have thought Carlsbad was a German or Czech destination before reading this! 🙂

    Reply
  7. What a stunning unique place to visit that natural entrance looking from below is amazing. The size or them are unbelievable and to spend nearly 2 hours under there and could of been a whole lot more to see is crazy

    Reply
  8. Wow, incredible caves! I had a feeling it would be an epic adventure once I saw the entrance.

    Reply
  9. The caves at Carlsbad Caverns are the coolest! It’s amazing how these formed plus getting to see the bats!

    Reply
  10. It’s a shame so much was closed when you visited but it definitely gives you a reason to return. Some of those rock formations are really neat. I particularly enjoyed Whale’s Mouth.

    Reply
  11. Carlsbad Caverns looks beautiful and some incredible geological formations. I enjoy exploring caves, so this would be an amazing experience for me. Not sure about the flight of the bats though!!

    Reply
  12. I would love to visit the Carlsbad Caverns. What a cool experience!

    Reply
  13. As someone who’s really into caves (and caving), I thought I would’ve seen some pretty cool caves, but Carlsbad Caverns seem to be on a different level. Really like the sign next to Mirror Lake, too. What a cool idea for a lake of this name.

    Reply
    • Carlsbad Caverns are awesome, Stefan, but exploring them is not on the same level undertaken by you. No hard helmets required!

      Reply

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Hello!  I’m Jane. I live in the Lake District in the north of England with my husband, Peter. We love to travel, but this is a great place to call home.

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