| Facilities: A visitor center, bookstore, supply company, restrooms, and picnic areas are provided at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Reservations: Reservations are required for larger groups, and requested for smaller ones to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. To make sure you get to tour the cave you want, a reservation is recommended. Best Time To Visit: Carlsbad Caverns National Park is open every day except Christmas Day. Fees: A variety of fees can apply when entering this park. Depending on which cave you tour, how deep in the cave you want to go, etc., can all affect the admission price. Please call or visit the website of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Accessibility: The visitor center and a large section of the self-guided Big Room tour (located in the Carlsbad Cavern) are accessible to visitors using wheelchairs. An outdoor nature trail, the bat flight amphitheater, and picnic sites near the visitor center and at Rattlesnake Springs are also fully-accessible. NOTE: The Carlsbad Caverns National Park does not provide wheelchairs; you must bring your own. Rules: There are a variety of rules to consider when entering the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Some of these to consider are: Baby strollers are not permitted on cave trails. Stay on the cave trail at all times; the cave floor is very delicate and can be hazardous. Talk quietly to allow yourself and others to enjoy the cave's natural silence. Cave pools are not wishing wells. Do not throw anything in the pools. Foreign materials introduce new bacteria. The native bacteria may not be able to compete with the foreign bacteria, and thus, may be eliminated. Tobacco use of any kind is not permitted anywhere in the caves. Gum, food and drinks are not allowed on the cave trail system. The odor from gum and food can attract animals not normally found in the cave. Once they are in the cave, they often cannot find their way out. The Underground Rest Area is the only place where food is permitted. Do not touch cave formations, walls or ceilings. Oils and dirt from hands can permanently damage and stain the caves. Do not collect anything natural to the park. In case of injury or illness, notify a ranger immediately. Phones are located along the cave trail. This is a desert! Everyone should carry water on surface hikes.Directions: Visitors arrive by way of U.S. Highway 62/180 from either Carlsbad, New Mexico (23 miles to the northeast) or El Paso, Texas (150 miles to the west). A scenic 7-mile entrance road leads from the Carlsbad Caverns National Park gate at Whites City to the visitor center and cavern entrance. | |
