carlsbad-caverns | NM | Find park

Photo of Giant Dome and Twin Domes in the Big Room.

Giant and Twin domes in the Big Room.

Big Room

Photo of four mule deer in a drainage with vegetation around them.

Mule deer find food in a drainage.

Natural Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern

Chandelier and Caveman formations.

Photo of a yucca plant with cream and pinkish-colored flowers.

Yucca blooming

Physical Address:

727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway

Carlsbad, NM 88220

Mailing Address:

3225 National Parks Highway

Carlsbad, NM 88220

contact-details

Phone Number: 5757852232 Voice
Phone Number: 5757852133 Fax

Email Address: cave_park_information@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Timed Entry Reservation - Location: $1.00

A timed entry reservation must be purchased to access Carlsbad Cavern. In addition, an entry pass must be purchased at the visitor center. Time entry reservations ensure a more enjoyable experience and helps to protect the cave formations.

Entrance - Per Person: $15.00

Entrance fee provides access to Carlsbad Cavern by elevator and hiking in. Ranger-guided tours are an additional fee and can be reserved on recreation.gov.

Entrance Passes

High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes.

park designation:National Park

Directions:

To access the park's only entrance road, New Mexico Highway 7, turn north from US Hwy 62/180 at White's City, NM, which is 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Carlsbad, NM and 145 miles (233 km) northeast of El Paso, TX. The entrance road stretches a scenic seven miles (11.3 km) from the park gate at White's City to the visitor center and cavern entrance. The address for the park's visitor center is 727 Carlsbad Caverns Hwy, Carlsbad, NM, 88220, located 27 miles (43 km) from the town of Carlsbad.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Hours

Last Entrance Ticket Sold: 2:15 pm / Last Cavern Entrance: 2:30 pm

Exceptions:

Christmas Day (December 25, 2024 - December 25, 2024)

New Year's Day (January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025)

Thanksgiving Day (November 27, 2025 - November 27, 2025)

Weather Information:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeast New Mexico. Summers are hot with temperatures between 90°F (32°C) and low 100s °F (38°C). Windy conditions and mild temperatures are common in early spring (March-May) with frequent rain in early fall (August-September). This part of the country also sees cold temperatures in the winter with occasional snow and icy conditions. Most days, the park is enveloped by a gorgeous blue sky with very few clouds, 278 sunny days a year!