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National Park No. NM No nonresident surcharge

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns is one of the largest cave systems in the world — over 120 mapped caves dissolved into the Permian-age Capitan Reef limestone, with the main Carlsbad Cavern containing the Big Room, a single chamber 4,000 ft long, 625 ft wide, and 255 ft high. The cave is entered…

I-10Nearest Interstate
1State
4FAQ
0Active Alerts
01 Park overview

Carlsbad Caverns is one of the largest cave systems in the world — over 120 mapped caves dissolved into the Permian-age Capitan Reef limestone, with the main Carlsbad Cavern containing the Big Room, a single chamber 4,000 ft long, 625 ft wide, and 255 ft high. The cave is entered either by the Natural Entrance trail (a 750-ft descent on a paved switchback path) or by the Bat Cave elevator that drops 754 ft to the underground rest area at the Big Room level. From late May through October, hundreds of thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats stream out of the Natural Entrance at sunset — one of the longest-running ranger-led wildlife programs in the National Park System. From I-10 the access is Exit 24A in El Paso, then 145 mi east on US-62/180 through Carlsbad to Whites City and the 7-mile park road.

  • Big Room is the largest single cave chamber in North America by volume
  • Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995
  • Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats roost in the Natural Entrance May–October
  • 754-ft elevator descends to the Big Room — wheelchair accessible underground
  • Daily timed-entry reservations ($1) are required for the cave; no walk-up entry
02 Photos
Big Room formations, Carlsbad Caverns
Big Room formations, Carlsbad Caverns Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA
03 Don't miss
  • Big Room loop trail (1.25 mi, paved, accessible)
  • Natural Entrance descent (750 ft, paved switchbacks)
  • Bat flight program at sunset (May–October)
  • Kings Palace ranger-led tour (booking required)
  • Walnut Canyon Desert Drive (above-ground scenic loop)
04 Getting there & truck/RV access
Route from interstate

From I-10

Exit 24A (US-62/180 East / El Paso, TX)

145 mi east on US-62/180 to Whites City, then 7 mi west on the park access road

Big rigs & RVs

Truck access

US-62/180 from El Paso is paved and unrestricted. The 7-mile park access road from Whites City to the visitor center is paved and accommodates RVs and trailers. The road is steep in places (6% grade) but has no length restrictions.

Parking: Visitor center lot is RV-capable and rarely fills. Truck-friendly fuel is at Carlsbad, NM (15 mi north) and El Paso, TX (I-10). Whites City has limited fuel. Inside the park, no commercial services — bring food and water.

Restrictions: No commercial vehicle restrictions on the park access road. Inside the cave, no bags, food, drinks (water excepted), tripods, or strollers — only the elevator descent accommodates strollers and wheelchairs.

05 Seasonality & road closures

Best months: April–May and September–October — milder above-ground temperatures, full bat program (May–October).

Closures: Park is open year-round (except Christmas Day). Bat flight program runs from late May through mid-October only.

Notes: Cave temperature is a constant 56°F year-round — bring a jacket even in summer. Cell service is unreliable; reservations must be made online before arrival.

06 Entrance fees (2026)
PassPrice
Individual / walk-in (7-day, age 16+) $15 (per person, age 16+; valid 3 days)
America the Beautiful (annual, all NPS sites) $80 U.S. residents · $250 non-residents

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

The $100 NPS nonresident surcharge applies at 11 specifically named parks. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is not on that list, so non-U.S. residents pay the same standard entrance fees as U.S. residents.

Fee-free days available for U.S. residents only beginning January 1, 2026.

Note: Per-person cave-entry fee; no vehicle pass. Mandatory $1 timed-entry reservation in addition to the entry fee. Ranger-led tours (Kings Palace, Left Hand Tunnel, etc.) require additional fees.

Official NPS fee page →

07 Current alerts
No active NWS weather alerts or FEMA disaster declarations in Carlsbad Caverns National Park's state(s) right now.
08 FAQ
How do I get to Carlsbad Caverns from the interstate?
145 miles east of I-10 Exit 24A in El Paso on US-62/180 to Whites City, then 7 miles west on the park access road. Total ~150 miles. The route is fully paved and unrestricted.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes — every visitor needs a timed-entry reservation ($1, valid for the chosen 30-minute entry window) booked at recreation.gov. Reservations are released up to 30 days in advance and routinely sell out for summer weekends.
Does the $100 nonresident fee apply?
No. Carlsbad Caverns is not on the 2026 NPS nonresident-surcharge list. The standard $15-per-person cave entry applies to all visitors.
When is the bat flight program?
Late May through mid-October, every evening at sunset (program time varies seasonally). Check the daily NPS Bat Flight Forecast — flights can be cancelled in cold or stormy weather. Photography and electronic devices are prohibited during the program.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park on the live map

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