Explore This Park

• Plan Your Visit
  • Things To Do

Things To Do

From late-May through mid-October, visitors to Carlsbad Caverns National Park enjoy the evening Bat Flight program.

NPS Photo.

 

Before starting on your cave adventure, you may want to enjoy the free, 16-minute long, very informative and engaging park movie "Hidden World," showing at the visitor center every 30 minutes. Check at the information desk for times.

How should you see the cavern? All visitors to the park are encouraged to tour the main section of the cave, the Big Room, on a self-guided tour. The Natural Entrance self-guided tour is also very impressive, but it is not recommended for visitors with health concerns due to a very steep and strenuous descent. Please consider your abilities before attempting to walk down the 1.25-mile Natural Entrance.

Don't miss out on learning all about the cave with a park ranger! Ranger-guided tours requiring varied skills are available. To reserve tickets for a guided tour, call 877.444.6777 or visit Recreation.gov.

While there are a variety of cave tours available - from the self-guided areas of the Big Room to crawling through narrow passageways on the Hall of the White Giant Tour. There are also opportunities for hiking and backcountry camping, attending ranger programs to watching the incredible exodus of Brazilian free-tailed bats out of the cavern in the summer.

Interested in learning more about Chihuahuan Desert from a ranger? We offer three FREE DAILY educational programs in and around the visitor center. Ask about program topics and times at the information desk.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park will be hosting Night Sky Events. The park is a perfect spot for viewing the wonders of the night sky due to its location away from the lights of local communities.