To access Carlsbad Caverns National Park's only entrance road, New Mexico Highway 7, turn north from US Hwy 62/180 at Whites 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-mile (11.3 km) from the park gate at Whites City to the Visitor Center and cavern entrance. The address for the park's Visitor Center is 727 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM, 88220 even though it's located 27 miles from the town.

Carlsbad is served by Greyhound and TNM&O bus lines. New Mexico Airlines offers passenger service between Carlsbad and Albuquerque. Major airlines serve Roswell and Albuquerque, New Mexico; and El Paso, Lubbock and Midland, Texas. Rental cars and taxi service are available from the airport in Carlsbad.