Top Reasons to Go

400,000 hungry bats: From mid-May to late October, bats wing to and from the caverns in a swirling, visible tornado.
Take a self-guided tour through the underworld: Plummet 75 stories underground and step into enormous caves hung with stalactites and bristling with stalagmites.
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens: More preserve than zoo, this 1,500-acre park houses scores of rare species, including black bears, Bolson tortoises, and endangered Mexican wolves.
Birding at Rattlesnake Springs: Nine-tenths of the park's 357 bird species, including roadrunners, golden eagles, and acrobatic cave swallows, visit this green desert oasis with scenic hiking trails.
Pecos River: A Southwest landmark and recreational oasis, the attractively landscaped Pecos River flows through the heart of nearby Carlsbad.

Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

Carlsbad Caverns National Park