Carlsbad Caverns National Park | New Mexico Bats Colonies

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: A BAT-tastic Adventure Awaits!

Take a Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Take a Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located in southwest New Mexico, is off the beaten path. However, don’t let that keep you from visiting this popular destination, famous for its bat-filled limestone caves where squeaking hordes of bats emerge at sunset from spring through fall, flying skyward, seeking insects to dine upon.

Fascinating Structures and Bats Display

Cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

In 1930, the U.S. National Park Service created Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the area has hosted more than 43,000,000 visitors to date.  It’s easy to see why this destination has had so many visitors; the scenery within the caves is awe-inspiring and from spring through fall, you can sit in an outdoor amphitheatre and view what is frequently referred to as the “bat show.”

280 million years ago, the Chihuahuan Desert of southeastern New Mexico was home to an inland sea where a fossil reef formed, creating hundreds of limestone caves.  Many of those caves have been developed as part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park to allow visitors to enter and view the stunning beauty within the caves.

Awe-Inspiring Caves and Caverns  

1. Lechuguilla Cave

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is home to numerous caves, including Lechuguilla Cave, which is the second deepest cave in the continental United States at 138.3 miles long.  Lechuguilla Cave has the park’s largest variety of rare speleothems, which are mineral deposits that form into stalagmites or stalactites.

Speleothems in Lechuguilla Cave
Speleothems in Lechuguilla Cave

If you aren’t familiar with the term “speleothems”, you’ve probably seen photos of them or know them by sight.  The mineral deposits that form stalagmites are impressive looking formations that rise up from the floor of a cave, comprised of calcium salts deposited by dripping water.  Stalactite’s, on the other hand, are similarly comprised of formations that hang down from the ceiling of a cave.

Like other caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Lechuguilla Cave is illuminated inside with a soft glowing light so as not to adversely affect the formations.  Concrete walking trails and railings are installed as well.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park

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2. Big Room

No visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park would be complete without a visit to the Big Room cave, which is the largest cave chamber in North America by volume. Enter Big Room cave on a self-guided tour like I did, where giant walls made of rock formations encircle you.  A ranger tells us that the cool air of the cave maintains a constant temperature of 56° F year-round, and the air feels slightly humid. I didn’t need a jacket, but some people might want to bring one.

Feast your eyes on a variety of cave formations as you hike the 1.25 trail (1.5 hours), which is somewhat flat.  Or, you can take a shortcut that lessens the hiking time to approximately 45 minutes.  To get the most out of your visit, comfortable walking shoes are a must!

6 cave 1835825 1280
Carlsbad Caverns National Park

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3. Spider Cave

If you are feeling adventurous, and I mean really adventurous, you might want to take a ranger-guided cave tour into Spider Cave, which requires that you do some crawling you might find yourself lying face down, flat on the cave floor, squirming through some tight spaces as you make your way into open areas of the cave. The gear needed for this type of guided tour is provided by the Park.  Other ranger-guided tours include Lower Cave and Slaughter Canyon Cave.  Ranger-guided tours that are less physical and that do not require gear are King’s Palace and the Left-Hand Tunnel cave tours.

Ranger-guided tours require reservations and are conducted on a set schedule.  Children under age 4 are not permitted on ranger-guided cave tours and there are some age restrictions for some of the other caves as well.  As for me, I think I’ll stick with the walking tours!

New Mexico Cavern Entrance
New Mexico Cavern Entrance

4. Carlsbad Cavern and its inhabitants

The namesake of the park, Carlsbad Cavern, is where things get batty! Every day from Memorial Day through October, a park ranger discusses the bat program at the mouth of Carlsbad Cavern.  I took a seat in the open amphitheatre (first come, first serve), which is carved out of stone and blends beautifully into the surroundings.  As the sun begins to set, everyone chats excitedly, knowing that this is one of the best bat caves in the world.  A park ranger asks everyone to be quiet so as not to startle the bats.  And, as the sun dips ever closer toward the horizon, a rustling whir of activity can be heard.  People watched in amazement as the bats come swirling out of the cave’s entrance, whooshing toward the sky in one large, inky mass.  Then they were gone, just like that.

Getting To Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located 20 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.   The nearest commercial airport is in Roswell, New Mexico, 103 miles away.  Other airports in general proximity include El Paso, Texas, Midland, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.  And, although it might seem like there is no way to get to Carlsbad Caverns National Park without a car, there are transportation options when it comes to getting there, including travel by bus or train.

If you plan to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park, be sure to make hotel room reservations in advance unless you are planning to do a campervan trip.  Although there are numerous hotels in the area, reservations are a must, so plan accordingly.  Additionally, hotel prices are on the high side, so don’t be surprised if a budget hotel isn’t priced very budget-friendly.

What do you think sounds like the most amazing part of this trip; The cave formations, the colony of bats flying display, or something else?

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park

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26 Comments

  • Avatar of Emese
    Reply
    Emese
    August 5, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    I have yet to visit Carlsbad Caverns, though it’s been on my list of places to see for a long time. It just seems so out of the way, we haven’t gotten there yet. We are planning it for this fall. Reading your post about it makes me want to go sooner. Thanks for all the info. Beautiful photos.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      August 6, 2018 at 9:02 am

      I really hope you’ll get to cross it off your bucket list as soon as possible, Emese! 🙂

  • Avatar of Cheryl
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    Cheryl
    August 6, 2018 at 5:23 am

    Amazing captures there! It must have been a fantastic experience. I don’t handle closed confines very well though. 🙂

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 6, 2018 at 9:27 am

      I had a blast, Cheryl! Thanks for the kind words. 😉

  • Avatar of Shelley Molnar
    Reply
    Shelley Molnar
    August 6, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Hi Lydia,
    Thanks for visiting my blog and for your kind comment.
    Great photos!

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 7, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      Hey, Shelly! Thanks a lot for the comment. I loved your blog. 😉

  • Avatar of frejatravels
    Reply
    frejatravels
    August 6, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    wow.. the caves are interesting and your photos look amazing. I love cave and wish I could visit those one day.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 7, 2018 at 1:41 pm

      I hope you’ll get the chance to visit it one day, Freja! Caves are indeed interesting. 🙂

  • Avatar of Dave
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    Dave
    August 7, 2018 at 2:15 am

    I had a chance to see Carlsbad Caverns when I was a kid, alas, a good many years ago now. Even so, I remember it was pretty amazing.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 7, 2018 at 1:44 pm

      Yes, they are very amazing and impressive, Dave! 🙂

  • Avatar of Steve Schwartzman
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    Steve Schwartzman
    August 7, 2018 at 7:37 pm

    For whatever reason, we didn’t find Carlsbad Caverns that interesting when we visited a couple of decades ago, but we changed our minds when we went back last year.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 8, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      Great you got to go there twice and happy the second time you enjoyed your time there, Steve. 😉

  • Avatar of Johanna Bradley
    Reply
    Johanna Bradley
    August 9, 2018 at 6:12 pm

    The caves look impressive. I always prefer being above ground or admiring from afar. 🙂 🙂

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      August 10, 2018 at 11:34 am

      They indeed do, Jo! Being underground is a completely different and unique experience. 🙂

  • Avatar of Emily
    Reply
    Emily
    August 10, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    I’ve been here and it’s so cool! Really incredible to see what nature can do. 🙂 My shots were DEFINITELY not as good as these though haha. Damn the dark.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      August 11, 2018 at 11:18 am

      That’s great to hear, Emily. I am sure your pictures are as good as mine. 😉

  • Avatar of Nancy
    Reply
    Nancy
    August 12, 2018 at 4:52 pm

    The Carlsbad Caverns look pretty neat – I don’t see many pictures of caves and it is nice to see how they’re formed! I like that they look really mysterious. Ok, I know I would not like the Spider Cave at all! Glad you enjoyed exploring the caves!

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      August 13, 2018 at 9:24 am

      Hey, Nancy! Yes, the caves are simply spectacular and a must see! 😉

  • Avatar of Sallie (FullTime Life)
    Reply
    Sallie (FullTime Life)
    August 14, 2018 at 5:05 am

    We have been there and really enjoyed it all. Even took a guided tour through an adjacent unlighted cave where we had to use headlamps and climb rope ladders. Sadly before I had a blog or even a good camera. A great place.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      August 14, 2018 at 9:00 am

      That’s so good to hear, Sallie. You might not have some good photos but you will always remember that experience. 😉

  • Avatar of Katherine Tran
    Reply
    Katherine Tran
    August 14, 2018 at 8:02 pm

    This looks like such a cool and different experience! I’m so terrified of the dark and the unknown in places like caves that I’ll probably be freaking out the whole time haha, but sounds fun 🙂

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      August 15, 2018 at 9:46 am

      It was very fun and an indeed unique experience, Katherine! 😉

  • Avatar of Petalaplan
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    Petalaplan
    October 23, 2018 at 9:17 am

    What incredible structures and I have to say this about bats. Initially, like most people I feared them.. however after living in Central America where they often took up residence in our open courtyard in the house, I started to do some research and as a result, viewed them differently. With respect and as the intelligent beings that they are. We saw an incredible bat cave next to a temple in East Bali.

    Wonderful photos.

    Peta

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
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      Lydia Yang
      October 23, 2018 at 10:05 am

      You sound like a big bat fan now that you have so many encounters Petalaplan! They are fascinating creatures aren’t they?

  • Avatar of Debjani lahiri
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    Debjani lahiri
    October 26, 2018 at 4:35 pm

    Omg , I don’t know when will I be able to go to Mexico, but whenever I can , this place is definitely on my wish list now. Brilliant writeup.

    • Avatar of Lydia Yang
      Reply
      Lydia Yang
      October 31, 2018 at 5:47 am

      Thanks Debjani! If you are into BATS and CAVES, this is just one of the many best ones you can see all around the world. I will be checking out the ones in Vietnam next year!

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