Carlsbad Caverns National Park
A vast decorated cave under the Chihuahuan Desert, with a nightly summer bat flight.
- 17named trails
- 51trail miles mapped
- New Mexicolocation
Popular hikes in Carlsbad Caverns
- Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail · about 0.5 mi · Easy
- Big Room Loop · about 1.25 mi · Easy
- Kings Palace Tour · about 1 mi · Moderate
- Natural Entrance · about 1.25 mi · Moderate
- Old Guano Road · about 3.7 mi · Moderate
- Rattlesnake Canyon · about 5.5 mi · Strenuous
Best months to visit
- May: Bat flight season begins as hundreds of thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats spiral out of the cave at dusk. It runs roughly late May through October.
Permits and reservations
To enter Carlsbad Cavern you need a timed-entry reservation (it only picks your entry time). You still buy the entrance ticket at the visitor center, and it is good for three days. The rest of the park needs no reservation.
- Timed entry to Carlsbad Cavern: A timed-entry reservation is required to enter the cavern (the reservation only picks your time; pay the entrance fee on arrival). Guided cave tours also need reservations.
- Backcountry use permit: A free backcountry permit is required, picked up at the visitor center on the day you arrive. Advance reservations are not issued.
- Ranger-guided cave tours: Reservations are highly recommended for all ranger-guided tours. Cancelling costs $3 per ticket.
Entrance fees
- Timed Entry Reservation - Location: $1
- Per Person: $15
Official park site: nps.gov
All 17 trails in Carlsbad Caverns
- Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail · 0.7 mi loop · Easy
- Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail (Old Guano Road) · 0.4 mi round trip · Easy
- Double Canyon · 3.74 mi round trip · Moderate
- Guadalupe Ridge Trail · 39 mi round trip · Very strenuous
- Handicapped Accessible Sidewalk · 0.16 mi round trip · Easy
- Juniper Ridge Trail · 3.5 mi loop · Moderate
- Natural Entrance Path · 1.25 mi round trip · Moderate
- Old Guano Road Trail · 7.4 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Rattlesnake Canyon Overlook Trail · 0.3 mi round trip · Easy
- Rattlesnake Canyon Trail · 6 mi round trip · Moderate
- Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail · 1 mi round trip · Easy
- Slaughter Canyon Trail · 10.6 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Upper Rattlesnake Canyon Trail · 1.48 mi round trip · Easy
- Ussery Trail · 6.12 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Visitor Center Trail to Cave (Part 2) · 0.24 mi round trip · Easy
- WC Vista Trail · 0.2 mi round trip · Easy
- Yucca Canyon Trail · 15.4 mi round trip · Very strenuous
Trailbound shows every one of these on an interactive map with live weather, park alerts and elevation profiles. It's free to browse.