One afternoon in 1898, a young cowhand named Jim White was out checking the fence lines when he saw what he thought was a cloud of black smoke off in the distance. As he got closer he noticed that the "smoke" wasn't behaving like smoke usually does.....it was breaking up into smaller clusters and going against the wind. Upon closer investigation he discovered it was an enormous whirlwind of bats pouring out of a hole in the ground. After some initial exploration White realized it was the entrance to an amazing array of underground caverns. From then on he spent the rest of his life mapping the spectacular caves and even became the park's first chief ranger when Congress created Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1930.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States. Located in the southeast corner of New Mexico, near the Texas border, this treasure of subterranean chambers extends for miles beneath the Chihuahuan Desert.
A unique feature of this national park is that the caves were not formed through water erosion. The limestone caverns were actually dissolved by acid. Stalactites, stalagmites, and soda straws are just a few of the many different cave formations that can be found throughout the immense network of underground rooms.
Ranger Guided Tours
The guided tours provide an opportunity to explore unique parts of the caves with an experienced park ranger. The King's Palace and Left Hand Tunnel Tours are the least difficult of the tours offered and visitors do not need to bring any special equipment with them. Several other tours require that visitors bring gloves, kneepads, and batteries for headlamps. These tours are considered strenuous and include climbing down ropes, crawling long distances, and squeezing through tight crevices. Read the full description of each tour on the website.
Bat Flight
One of the most spectacular sights at Carlsbad Caverns is the nightly bat flight. From mid- April to mid- October thousands of Mexican Freetail bats fly out of the cavern's natural entrance every evening in search of insects to eat. It begins with a few bats swirling out of the cave and quickly escalates into a thick cluster of bats soaring off into the night time sky. Visitors can meet at the Bat Flight Amphitheater for a free ranger talk proceeding the bat flight. Cameras are not allowed, and it is a good idea to check the information line at 575-785-3012 for specific time and weather updates.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States. Located in the southeast corner of New Mexico, near the Texas border, this treasure of subterranean chambers extends for miles beneath the Chihuahuan Desert.
A unique feature of this national park is that the caves were not formed through water erosion. The limestone caverns were actually dissolved by acid. Stalactites, stalagmites, and soda straws are just a few of the many different cave formations that can be found throughout the immense network of underground rooms.
Ranger Guided Tours
The guided tours provide an opportunity to explore unique parts of the caves with an experienced park ranger. The King's Palace and Left Hand Tunnel Tours are the least difficult of the tours offered and visitors do not need to bring any special equipment with them. Several other tours require that visitors bring gloves, kneepads, and batteries for headlamps. These tours are considered strenuous and include climbing down ropes, crawling long distances, and squeezing through tight crevices. Read the full description of each tour on the website.
Bat Flight
One of the most spectacular sights at Carlsbad Caverns is the nightly bat flight. From mid- April to mid- October thousands of Mexican Freetail bats fly out of the cavern's natural entrance every evening in search of insects to eat. It begins with a few bats swirling out of the cave and quickly escalates into a thick cluster of bats soaring off into the night time sky. Visitors can meet at the Bat Flight Amphitheater for a free ranger talk proceeding the bat flight. Cameras are not allowed, and it is a good idea to check the information line at 575-785-3012 for specific time and weather updates.
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