CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK
Located in the Chihuahuan Desert in the southeastern corner of New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established to preserve Carlsbad Cavern and numerous other caves within a Permian-age fossil reef. First established as a national monument in 1923, it was designated a national park in 1930, and most recently was named a World Heritage Site in 1995. The full park encompasses 46,766 acres of scenic desert and wilderness in the Guadalupe Mountain range, of which nearly 70% is a designated wilderness area.
 |
Carlsbad Caverns
National Park in New Mexico |
The park contains more than 85 known caves, including the Lechuguilla Cave, the nation's deepest limestone cave (1,597 feet) and 3rd longest. The park's most famous cave -- Carlsbad Cavern -- has a mapped length of 27 miles and includes one of the world's largest underground chambers. It is decorated with stalagmites, stalactites, columns, and countless other formations.
A variety of self-guided and ranger-led tours are available at Carlsbad Cavern year-round. The park also offers ranger-guided wild caving trips, ranging in difficulty from the easy level walking passages of Left Hand Tunnel, to the twisting belly-crawls of Spider Cave.
One of the park's great attractions is the nightly exodus of a colony of up to 300,000 Mexican free-tail bats. The bats sleep in the cavern during the day and each evening around sunset leave the cave to feed on insects. Called Bat Flight, the bats take anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours to exit from the cavern. Prior to the evening flight of the bats, a talk is given at the cavern entrance by a park ranger.
While Carlsbad Caverns National Park is best known for its spectacular underground caves, the park's backcountry, which is is part of the northern Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem, includes a number of hiking trails.
 |
Bat Flight at sunset |
Visiting the Park
If you are planning visit the park, it is recommended that you make reservations in advance for the guided tours, especially during the summer months. To do so, call 800-967-CAVE or you can make reservations online at http://reservations.nps.gov. The park's visitor center includes exhibits on caves, bats, and park history and geology. The Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association operates a bookstore in the visitor center, with titles on caves, bats, and the natural history of the Chihuahuan Desert.
There is no lodging or developed campgrounds available in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Backcountry camping is available, and a free permit is available at the visitor center. There are campgrounds in the nearby towns of Whites City and Carlsbad. For further information, call Carlsbad Caverns National Park at 505-785-2232, or to obtain a free 1999 Official Carlsbad Visitor's Guide, call 800-221-1224. The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce can provide you with local information including lodging and dining information; they can be reached at 505-887-6516.
Two major annual events at Carlsbad Caverns National Park include the Bat Flight Breakfast (held the 2nd Thursday of August) and the International Bat Festival (to be held September 20-21 in 2002).
Other useful resources:
National Speleological Society
