Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the most unique national parks in the world. You can hike 1600 feet underground, do a scenic drive through the desert, and watch bats take flight, all in one place. So I rounded up the best things to do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Off-The-Beaten-Path National Parks To Visit

This is one of the least-visited national parks in the U.S. But Carlsbad Caverns National Park was always at the top of my national park bucket list because, in 1964, my great aunt was the first person in a wheelchair to go as far into the caverns as possible at the time.

So this national park holds a special place in my heart. I love the low crowds and the contrast between the underground caverns and the desert above. 

Here are the best things to do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park!

When To Go

This park is open year-round, and the temperature in the caverns stays around 56°F all year. So no matter when you visit, you’ll want a light jacket or sweater.

Summer is the busiest season, though the crowds will still be relatively small compared to most other national parks. You can avoid some of the tourists by going on weekdays. Temperatures above ground can get into the 100s during the summer, so don’t be out in the middle of the day, and always have sun protection and plenty of water with you.

May – September is when you can watch the bat flights. These months also have more daily guided ranger tours than the rest of the year. Spring, Fall, and Winter temperatures are ideal for scenic drives and hiking.

What To Do

You can explore Carlsbad Caverns in a day. Start with the Walnut Canyon Vista Trail (about a five-minute walk to a beautiful overlook on your way to the visitor center). Then drive the scenic Walnut Canyon Desert Drive. This is a 9.5 mile one-way, unpaved route with beautiful desert views. Low-clearance vehicles are not recommended on this road, and RVs, buses, and trailers cannot drive on it.

Next, head to the main cavern and hike the Natural Entrance down into the caverns. Do the Big Room hike, then take the elevator out of the cavern.

If you’re up for an adventure, then you can do a ranger-led tour to one of the lower caverns and tunnel systems. These tours require special equipment and can be strenuous.

During the summer months, end your day by watching the bat flight at sunset.

Timing Your Day

Here’s how much time you should plan for the park’s activities:

Natural Entrance Hike down – 1.5-2 hours

Big Room Hike – 1-1.5 hours

Walnut Canyon Desert Drive – 1 hour

Bat Flight – starts at 7:45 pm and lasts about an hour

Natural Entrance Hike up – 2-2.5 hours (personally, I don’t think this is the best use of your time, but if you want to do a strenuous hike, then make the trek up to the surface. The caverns close at 5 pm, so start your ascent with plenty of time to be out of the Natural Entrance by then).

So, there are two schedule options I’d recommend for your day. The first is to arrive at the park early in the morning and do the Walnut Canyon Drive. Then hike down the Natural Entrance and through the Big Room, and take the elevator back to the surface. You can have a pack-out lunch at the park or eat back in town or at your hotel. Spend the rest of the day resting at your accommodation, then return to the park for the bat flight. 

The second option is to arrive at the park mid-afternoon, hike down the Natural Entrance and through the Big Room, and take the elevator back up. Then do the Walnut Canyon Desert Drive and eat a pack-out dinner at the park. With this option, you’d stay at the park until the bat flight, and there are some easy nature trails near the visitor center if you need to kill some time.

If you’re not going to see the bat flight, then I’d recommend arriving early to beat the crowds and stay as long as you want. If you’re doing a ranger-led tour, it will be at a set time.

Know Before You Go

Reservations may be required to enter the caverns. So check the Carlsbad Caverns website to see if you’ll need to get a timed entry ticket.

Parts of the Big Room and Natural Entrance trails are wet and steep, so you’ll want to wear closed-toe shoes with good traction.

Bring a light jacket because the year-round temperature in the cavern is around 56ºF.

Flash photography is allowed everywhere in the caverns. Tripods are permitted on the Big Room and Natural Entrance trails but not on ranger-led tours.

Only plain water is allowed in the caverns. You cannot bring food or flavored drinks because it could affect bats, bugs, and other wildlife.

The Carlsbad Caverns Trading Company restaurant has limited food options and bottled, fountain, and hot drinks in the visitor center. There’s also an underground snack bar at the base of the elevators in the cavern.

There are restrooms at the visitor center and the base of the elevators in the cavern.

The caverns close at 5 pm, so when you’re planning your day, work backward from 5 pm to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to explore.

No phones, cameras, or electronic devices are allowed at the bat flight because the frequencies of our devices negatively affect the bats. If you bring any of these electronics with you, you’ll have to turn them completely off. You will also need to be silent during the bat flight.

Where To Stay

The closest city to the national park is Carlsbad, New Mexico. This town has several nice chain hotels and lots of restaurants. Carlsbad is the best “home base” if you also want to take day trips to Guadalupe Mountains National Park or Roswell.

There’s a tent and RV campground in Whites City, New Mexico. Primitive camping is allowed in the national park’s backcountry with a free permit that you can get at the visitor center when you arrive.

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This post about the best things to do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park is not a sponsored post, and, as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post about the best things to do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park are entirely my own. Some of these links are affiliate links, and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission from this post about the best things to do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.