Carlsbad Caverns National Park — Carlsbad Caverns Highway
Carlsbad, NM Location

National Park

Operating Hours & Seasons

Winter Hours (Labor Day to the day before Memorial Day.)

Last WALK IN entry to the cave is 2:30 p.m.

Last ELEVATOR entry to the cave is 3:30 p.m.

Summer Hours (Memorial Day to the day before Labor Day.)

Last WALK IN entry to the cave is 3:30 p.m.

Last ELEVATOR entry into the cave is 5 p.m.

Fees & Passes

Entrance Fees:

• $10.00 - Cavern Entrance Fee
  ALL visitors who enter Carlsbad Cavern are required to purchase an entrance ticket, which is good for three days. Adults (16 and older) - $10 Children (15 and under) - Free When using an America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, Annual Pass, Senior Pass, Access Pass, Military Pass or Volunteer Pass, the pass admits the cardholder plus three adults (where a per person fee is charged).
• $0.00 - Ranger-led Tours
  Children under the age of 4 are not permitted on any ranger-guided tours. General Admission applies for all tours. King's Palace - $8/adults, $4/children, 4 and older allowed. Left Hand Tunnel - $7/adults, $3.50/children, 6 and older. Slaughter Canyon Cave - $15/adults, $7.50/children, 8 and older. Lower Cave - $20/adults, $10/children, under 12 not permitted Hall of the White Giant - $20/adults, $10/children, 12 and older. Spider Cave - $20/adults, $10/children, 12 and older.

About

Beauty and Wonder; Above and Below

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.

Looking for park and cave hours?

Directions

To access Carlsbad Caverns National Park's only entrance road, New Mexico Highway 7, turn north from US Hwy 62/180 at White's City, New Mexico - which is 20 miles southwest of Carlsbad, NM and 145 miles northeast of El Paso, Texas. The entrance road stretches a scenic 7-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 Highway, Carlsbad, NM, 88220, located 27 miles from the town of Carlsbad.

Visitor Center Winter Hours
The hours listed are for the visitor center. The cave opens 30 minutes after the visitor center and closes 30 minutes before the visitor center.

Weather

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeast New Mexico. Summers are hot with temperatures between 90 - low 100s(F). 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!

Permits and Reservations Information