10 Best Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns has some of the largest and most decorated cave chambers in the world, and it's also a desert park with a surprising amount to see above ground. This is how I'd rank what's worth doing.

Best Time of Year to Visit, and Why

The cave is open all year at a constant 56°F, so I'd choose based on the bats and the weather. From late May through October the bat flight happens at sunset, and August and September have the biggest flights. I'd avoid mid-summer afternoons above ground — the desert is hot — and plan the cave for midday.

In winter the bats are gone, but the cave is quiet and the surface is pleasant, and holiday weeks are the busiest.

How Carlsbad Caverns Compares to Mammoth Cave

They're the two most famous cave parks, so here's how I'd choose.

	Carlsbad Caverns	Mammoth Cave
Headline	Giant, decorated chambers and a bat flight	The longest known cave system in the world
Cave style	Open, huge rooms with formations	Long tunnels, with a mix of formations and history
Reservations	Timed entry and guided tours	Tickets required for all tours
Surface	Chihuahuan Desert	Green Kentucky hills and a river
Best for	Spectacle and short visits	Variety and a longer day

If I could only pick one, I'd choose Carlsbad for the sheer scale and the bats. I'd choose Mammoth Cave for the variety of tours and the green surroundings.

Hiking Checklist — Carlsbad Caverns National Park

This is a constant-temperature cave under a desert, so my kit is about layers and reservations:

1. A light jacket — the cave is about 56°F no matter how hot it is outside.
2. Sturdy shoes with grip — the trails are paved but often wet and sloped.
3. A printed or saved reservation — cell service at the cave is limited.
4. Plain water only — food and drinks other than water are prohibited in the cave.
5. Nothing electronic for the bat flight — electronics aren't allowed at the amphitheater.
6. A headlamp for the longer tours — some wild cave tours require one.

The 10 Best Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

1. 1. Walk the Big Room

   A flat, paved loop through the largest single cave chamber in North America. 1.25 mi loop, easy, 1.5 hrs.

2. 2. Descend the Natural Entrance Trail

   A steep, paved walk down through the mouth of the cave, 750 feet below the visitor center. 1.25 mi one-way, moderate, 1 hr.

3. 3. Watch the bat flight at sunset

   Hundreds of thousands of bats spiral out of the cave mouth in a long ribbon. Free, no electronics, May–Oct. 1 hr.

4. 4. Take the King's Palace tour

   A ranger-led tour into a section of the cave with elaborate formations and a lights-out moment. Reservation required, when staffing allows. 1.5 hrs.

5. 5. Join the Left Hand Tunnel lantern tour

   A tour by lantern light through a more primitive section. Reservation required. 2 hrs.

6. 6. Try the Lower Cave tour

   A more adventurous tour with ladders and ropes. Reservation required, limited days. 3 hrs.

7. 7. Drive the Walnut Canyon Desert Drive

   A 9.5-mile mostly gravel loop through the Chihuahuan Desert above the cave. 1 hr.

8. 8. Explore Slaughter Canyon Cave

   A guided tour into a wilder, less-developed cave. Reservation required. 5.5 hrs.

9. 9. Hike Rattlesnake Canyon

   A quiet desert canyon trail with good wildlife spotting. 6 mi RT, strenuous, 4–5 hrs.

10. 10. Visit Rattlesnake Springs

    A small oasis south of the main park that's one of the best birding spots in New Mexico. 1 hr.

Tour availability, reservation rules, and bat-flight dates are accurate as of publication but change — always confirm current conditions, road status, and reservation rules at nps.gov/cave before you go.