The centerpiece of Carlsbad Caverns National Park is of course its cave. There’s a lot to see inside the cave, most especially the Big Room. So what’s the best way to see the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room? And do you have to hike all the way down and back up?
Let’s get into all the details of the two main ways to get to Carlsbad Caverns Big Room — the Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Trail and an elevator! (Yes, there’s an elevator.)
Here’s all the info from our trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park to inspire you to visit soon, too.
About Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The cave is HUGE. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is, really, a cave of wonders. It’s 30 miles long, and includes 2.5 miles of paved pathways.
The cave is accessible. It’s quite incredible how accessible this cave is. You don’t need to be an expert cave explorer to visit — you don’t even need a flashlight (as lights line the walkways). It’s a cave anyone can explore, and one I’d recommend everyone visit.
How to Enter the Cave: Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Trail vs. Elevator
You’ll have two options for entering the cave — by elevator or through the Carlsbad Caverns natural entrance.
1. Enter through the Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance
Length from Natural Entrance to Big Room: 1.25 miles
Time to walk: 1 hour
Elevation change: 750 feet
If you decide to walk through the natural entrance, you’ll add an additional hour and 1.25 miles to your experience.
We decided to walk through the natural entrance in order to get the full experience of entering the cave and to take some photos of the cave’s entrance.
As we were walking down, down, down, into the cave, a stranger asked us, worriedly, if we’d have to exit this same way (the equivalent of a 75-story building).
Fortunately, there is an easy way out — an elevator!
Even if you walk down through the natural entrance you do not have to walk back up. Most people don’t. You can take the elevator back up to avoid the steep climb.
2. Enter/Exit via Elevator
There’s an elevator that goes 750 feet straight down into the Big Room. We were astonished at this feat of engineering.
If you choose to enter and/or exit via the elevator — wise choice!
This avoids the steep climb and gets you right into the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room.
What to Do in the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room
The Carlsbad Caverns Big Room is the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America, according to the National Park Service.
It’s the main section of Carlsbad Caverns to explore, and at 750 feet underground, it’s the furthest you can go.
Check Out All the Features of the Cave
There are limestone formations, underground pools, plus tons of stalactites (mineral deposits that hang down) and stalagmites (mineral deposits that reach up).
It’s a very decorative cave with lots to see and discover.
There’s also a snack bar— and bathrooms! — down in the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room.
Walk the Paved Trail around the Big Room
Length: 1.25 miles (or 0.6 miles with shortcut)
Elevation gain: Flat
Difficulty: Easy
There is a 1.25 mile, flat trail that winds around various nooks and crannies of the Big Room, which takes about 1.5 hours to complete. It’s a really cool trail with cave formations and beautiful views.
You can take a shortcut to make the trail only 0.6 miles, cutting off about half the time it would take to finish.
Most of the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room is wheelchair accessible.
Some Tips to Make the Most of Your Experience at Carlsbad Caverns
Here are some tips and information for making the most of your cave journey.
Focus on the Cave
The main attraction at Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the cave itself.
There are some trails to hike outside of the cave, but the cave will take up the majority of your time and energy, and it’s what you should focus on, honestly — especially if you only have a day to spend at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Purchase an Audio Guide
In the visitor center, I’d highly recommend purchasing an audio guide for $5. It gives you a lot of backstory about the cave (how it was discovered, how it was formed, etc.) as well as all of its formations.
I don’t know how many times I heard the words “stalagmites and stalactites,” but their meanings are really drilled into me now.
Read the Many Signs in the Cave
There are also signs around the cave that give similar information if you’d rather not use an audio guide.
Follow the Lights
Normally, the cave would be pitch black inside — but the NPS has outfitted Carlsbad Caverns with lights, illuminating not just the pathways but the cool rock formations as well.
Spotlights are all over the cave, allowing you to see the stalagmites and stalactites — and so much more.
You don’t need to purchase a flashlight or headlamp.
Look for Bats
There is a large colony of bats that reside in Carlsbad Caverns from April through October.
By “large,” I mean, hundreds of thousands of bats.
Every evening they fly out of the cave in a mass exodus, to return by dawn.
There is an amphitheater set up near the cave’s natural entrance so people can come watch this phenomenon each night.
When will you see thousands of bats flying over your head?
If you’re visiting during April-October, stick around for the bat flight program.
We visited Carlsbad Caverns in December and the bats were long gone by then. They migrate to Mexico every winter.
How to Get Tickets to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
1. Get your timed reservations before arriving. You’ll need timed reservations to enter the cave, and these can only be made ahead of time online or by phone, not at the park. It costs $1 a person to make the reservations online.
2. Pay entrance fee at the park. You’ll pay additional entrance fees upon entering the park (unless you have an annual pass, which will admit 4 people). If you plan to visit more than three national parks in a year, definitely get an America the Beautiful pass to save money.
Entrance fees:
- Adults (16 and older): $15 per person
- Children (15 and under): Free
3. Check in at the visitor center. Once at the park, you’ll need to head to the visitor center to officially check in for your entrance time.
When to Go to Carlsbad Caverns
Visit in winter for cooler temperatures. We visited in winter in order to enjoy the milder climate (New Mexico is a desert climate and can get very hot in the summer). There is usually no snow in winter, although it can happen.
Avoid summer. Not only is it very hot in summer with temperatures over 100 ℉, summer is also monsoon season with many thunderstorms.
Visit in April-October to see bats. If you’d like to see the bats, try visiting in the late spring or early autumn to get the best of both worlds (bats and cooler temperatures).
Where to Eat at Carlsbad Caverns
Inside the Cave
There’s no food or drinks allowed inside the cave.
There is a snack bar inside the cavern, but it’s only open Fridays-Sundays. Any snacks purchased at the snack bar must be consumed there.
Outside the Cave
There is a restaurant near the Visitor Center and gift shop (not in the cave) open until 4 p.m. with lunch offerings.
Consider having some lunch after your cave excursion.
Where to Stay Near Carlsbad Caverns
There are no lodgings or campgrounds inside the national park.
Don’t Stay in Whites City, NM
Whites City, which is just outside Carlsbad Caverns, has a population of only 85 people and seemed rather deserted. I don’t know if we came during off season, or what, but nothing was open.
Stay in Carlsbad or Artesia, NM
If you’d like to stay somewhere closer to the park, the two largest nearby towns are Carlsbad and Artesia.
Driving through the state, it was a bit shocking to realize how few cities there are in New Mexico. We’d drive for miles without seeing any sort of civilization. And some towns we drove through seemed more like ghost towns, if anything.
Recommendation: Stay in Roswell, NM
We stayed in Roswell, New Mexico for the night, which is a little under 2 hours away from Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We were on a fast-paced road trip through New Mexico and wanted to be in Santa Fe the next day, so Roswell was a good midpoint.
I’m personally glad we kept driving to Roswell as it was a much more interesting and lively city.
See my guide to visiting Roswell, New Mexico.
Where we stayed in Roswell
It’s mostly chain hotels in Roswell, and we stayed in one as well — the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
It seemed newly renovated and was very clean. Plus a free buffet breakfast was offered in the morning, and you can’t beat that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carlsbad Caverns
How long does it take to walk to the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns?
It takes about an hour to walk down to the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns (Big Room) from the Natural Entrance.
How far is the walk down into Carlsbad Caverns?
The trail from the Natural Entrance to the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns (Big Room) is 1.25 miles long.
Can you bring food inside the cave?
There’s no food or drinks allowed inside the cave.
How deep is the Big Room in Carlsbad Caverns?
The Carlsbad Caverns Big Room is 750 feet underground, or 75 stories down.
How many caves are in Carlsbad Caverns?
There are 119 caves within Carlsbad Caverns. The national park above ground covers 73 square miles.
Is Carlsbad Caverns worth seeing?
Yes, Carlsbad Caverns is definitely worth seeing. It’s often called the “Grand Canyon with a roof on it” as it’s just so massive. It will really blow your mind.
How many days do you need at Carlsbad Caverns?
You only need one day.
How did Carlsbad Caverns get discovered?
Native Americans have known about the cave for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
In 1898, 16-year-old cowboy, Jim White, was rounding up cattle one evening when he spotted smoke from a wildfire off in the distance. He got closer and realized it wasn’t a fire. It was thousands of bats flying out of the cave entrance.
Jim White returned to the cave to explore it. He would make many excursions into Carlsbad Caverns over the rest of his life.
Carlsbad Caverns was designated a national monument in 1923. It became a national park in 1930.
Read more about the history of Carlsbad Caverns and Jim White on the national park’s website.
Can I enter Carlsbad Caverns without a reservation?
No, you need a timed reservation to enter Carlsbad Caverns.
Should I hike or use the elevator for Carlsbad Caverns?
I’d recommend hiking down into the Carlsbad Caverns Big Room via the Natural Entrance and then taking the elevator back up. You’ll get the best of both worlds.
How much does it cost to get into Carlsbad Caverns?
It costs $1 per person to make a timed reservation.
Additionally, entrance fees are as follows:
- Adults (16 and older): $15 per person
- Children (15 and under): Free
Does Carlsbad Caverns ever close?
Yes, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas (December 25), and New Year’s Day (January 1).
Visitor Center Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Last Cavern Entrance: 2:30 p.m.
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Great article about Carlsbad caverns! Very informative post also love the pictures.