Carlsbad Caverns National Park Travel Guide
- Overview
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Activities
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
- Guidebooks
On the surface, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is deceptively normal—but all bets are off once visitors set foot in the elevator, which plunges 75 stories underground. The country beneath the surface is part silky darkness, part subterranean hallucination. The snaky, illuminated walkway seems less like a trail and more like a foray across the River Styx and into the underworld. Within more than 14 football fields of subterranean space are hundreds of formations that alternately resemble cakes, soda straws, ocean waves, and the large, leering face of a mountain troll.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Hotels
The only overnight option within the arid, rugged park is to make your own campsite in the backcountry, at least half a mile from any trail. ... Outside the...read more
Fodor's Choice
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Restaurants
Choice isn't an issue inside Carlsbad Caverns National Park because there are just three dining options—the surface-level café, the underground...read more
Things To Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Explore the best sights, entertainment, and shopping with our top choices and insider tips.
Travel Deals in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Save in Carlsbad: Book 3 Nts in Aug at Econo Lodge Fr $102+/Nt Expedia
- Aug deal: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carlsbad Fr $223+/Nt Expedia
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Experiences
-
400,000 hungry bats: Every night and every day, bats wing to and from the caverns in a swirling, visible tornado.... Read more
-
Without a doubt, the park's most prominent and popular residents are Mexican free-tailed bats. These bats have bodies that barely span a woman's... Read more
-
The newest discovery in Carlsbad Caverns National Park is Lechuguilla Cave, the deepest limestone cave in the United States. Scientists began... Read more
News & Features
-
Trip Ideas
From historic holistic practices and "energy vortexes" to art galleries and fantastic cuisine, there are ... Read more
-
Wine & Cocktails, Trip Ideas
Whether you come for the art, the chiles, or the architecture, you'll definitely stay for the wine.... Read more
-
Trip Ideas, Travel Tips
As you twitch in anticipation of the final installment of Breaking Bad, take a trip through the turbule... Read more
Free Fodor's Newsletter
Subscribe today for weekly travel inspiration, tips, and special offers.
· Travel Planner
Fodor's Trip Planning Ideas
- Summer Fun in NOLA: Discover the true spirit of New Orleans
- Weekend Getaways: Fodor's Recommends the Best Weekend Escapes in the US
- Great American Vacation: Find Your Next U.S. Trip with Fodor's
- 80 Degrees: Fodor's Helps You Find Your Best Beach Vacation Spots
- Go List: Fodor's Top 25 Places to Go in 2013
- Best of Europe: Fodor's Picks the Best Places to Visit in Europe
· Forums Trip Reports
·New Mexico Forum
-
On our first time visit to New Mexico, we will be mostly in Santa Fe and Taos. Read more




