Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is an American national park in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park is the show cave, Carlsbad Cavern. Visitors to the cave can hike in on their own via the natural entrance or take an elevator from the visitor center.

Carlsbad Cavern includes a large limestone chamber, named simply the Big Room, which is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 255 feet high at its highest point. The Big Room is the largest chamber in North America and the thirty-first largest in the world.

An estimated 250 million years ago, the area surrounding Carlsbad Caverns National Park served as the coastline for an inland sea. Present in the sea was a plethora of marine life, whose remains formed a reef. Unlike modern reef growths, the Permian reef contained bryozoans, sponges, and other microorganisms. After the Permian Period, most of the water evaporated and the reef was buried by evaporites and other sediments. Tectonic movement occurred during the late Cenozoic, uplifting the reef above ground. Susceptible to erosion, water sculpted the Guadalupe Mountain region into its present-day state.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is situated in a bed of limestone above groundwater level. During cavern development, it was within the groundwater zone. Deep below the limestones are petroleum reserves (part of the Mid-Continent Oil Field). At a time near the end of the Cenozoic, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) began to seep upwards from the petroleum into the groundwater. The combination of hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the water formed sulfuric acid: H2S + 2O2 → H2SO4. The sulfuric acid then continued upward, aggressively dissolving the limestone deposits to form caverns. The presence of gypsum within the cave is a confirmation of the occurrence of this process, as it is a byproduct of the reaction between sulfuric acid and limestone.

Once the acidic groundwater drained from the caverns, speleothems began to be deposited within the cavern. Erosion above ground created the natural entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns within the last million years. Exposure to the surface has allowed for the influx of air into the cavern. Rainwater and snowmelt percolating downward into the ground pick up carbon dioxide; once this water reaches a cavern ceiling, it precipitates and evaporates, leaving behind a small calcium carbonate deposit. Growths from the roof downward formed through this process are known as stalactites. Additionally, water on the floor of the caverns can contain carbonic acid and generate mineral deposits by evaporation. Growths from the floor upward through this process are known as stalagmites. Different formations of speleothems include columns, soda straws, draperies, helictites, and popcorn. Changes in the ambient air temperature and rainfall affect the rate of growth of speleothems, as higher temperatures increase carbon dioxide production rates within the overlying soil. The color of the speleothems is determined by the trace constituents in the minerals of the formation.

Where it is:

The park entrance is located on US Highway 62/180, approximately 18 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

To access Carlsbad Caverns National Park’s only entrance road, Carlsbad Caverns Highway, turn north from US Hwy 62/180 at White’s City, New Mexico—20 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico and 145 miles northeast of El Paso, Texas. The entrance road stretches a scenic seven miles 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, New Mexico 88220

Maps:

Interactive Google Map

Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.

 

GPS:

32°10’39.342″ N 104°22’55.32″ W

 

Cost:

Entrance Fee

All visitors who enter Carlsbad Cavern are required to purchase an entrance ticket, which is good for three days. If you are entering with a pass, please visit the ticket counter for your free admission ticket.

Adults (ages 16 and older): $15 per person

Children (ages 15 and younger): Free

America The Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are accepted.

Ranger guided tours are additional cost.

Hours:

STANDARD HOURS
8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

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

Last Elevator OUT of the Cavern
4:45 pm

Visitor Center Hours
8 am–5 pm

Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.

Facilities:

The Carlsbad Caverns Trading Company (CCTC) restaurant has limited food options and bottled, fountain, and hot drinks. The restaurant is located in the visitor center, past the gift shop, and open until 4 pm.

Carlsbad, New Mexico also has numerous lodging and campground options. Carlsbad is located about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of the park, on Highway 62/180.

Location Contact Information:

By Mail
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Headquarters
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220

Physical Address of the Park (GPS systems may not find this address)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220

By Phone
Visitor Information
575.785.2232 (operator on duty M-F)

Bat Flight Information
575.236.1374

By Fax
575.785.2133

By Email
e-mail us

 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Photo Gallery

Click Here for full page gallery

 

More Photographic Destinations in New Mexico

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Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.

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All the information in this post was believed to be accurate at the time it was published.  Please be sure to double check with the location before relying on this information as everything changes over time, especially hours, prices, and whether the location is still open.  

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Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country.  Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.

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