Planning Your Time

Carlsbad Caverns in One Day

In a single day, visitors can easily view both the eerie, exotic caverns and the volcano of bats that erupts from the caverns each evening. Unless you're attending the annual Dawn of the Bats, when visitors view the early-morning bat return, go ahead and sleep past sunrise and then stroll into the caves.

For the full experience, begin by taking the Natural Entrance Trail, which allows visitors to trek into the cave from surface level. This tour winds past the Boneyard, with its intricate ossifications and a massive boulder called the Iceberg. After 1¼ miles, or about an hour, the trail links up with the Big Room Trail. If you're not in good health or are traveling with young children, you might want to skip the Natural Entrance and start with the Big Room Trail, which begins at the foot of the elevator. This underground walk extends 1¼ miles on level, paved ground, and takes about 1½ hours to complete. There is a shortcut option that’s about half as long. If you have made reservations in advance or chance upon some openings, you also can take the King's Palace guided tour for 1 mile and an additional 1½ hours. It leaves from the Big Room near the elevator. At 83 stories deep, the palace is the lowest part of the cavern open to the public. By this time, you will have spent four hours in the cavern. Take the elevator back up to the top. If you're not yet tuckered out, consider a short hike along the sunny, self-guided ½-mile Desert Nature Walk by the visitor center.

To picnic by the birds, bees, and water of Rattlesnake Springs, take U.S. 62/180 south from Whites City 5½ miles, and turn back west onto Route 418. You'll find old-growth shade trees, grass, picnic tables, restrooms, and water. Many varieties of birds flit from tree to tree. Return to the Carlsbad Caverns entrance road and take the 9½-mile Walnut Canyon Desert Drive loop (sometimes called Desert Loop Road). Leave yourself enough time to return to the visitor center for the evening bat flight.