Admission Fees

Adults pay $6, while children 15 and under are admitted free. This admission entitles you to a self-guided tour. Other tours are available for charges ranging from $7-$20. Tour fees are in addition to admission. Note: Last entry into cave is 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Be sure to check the park operating hours prior to your visit, as they vary by season.

Nearest Major Airports

El Paso (145 miles) and San Antonio (438 miles)

Budget Airlines to Shop

Southwest Airlines serve El Paso.

Nearby Cities with Budget Rooms

Whites City, N.M. is at the entrance of the park and offers a few motel choices. More can be found in Carlsbad, which is 21 miles to the north, and Roswell, which is 97 miles north of the park.

Camping and Lodge Facilities

Only back country camping is allowed here, and users are required to obtain a free permit at the visitor center. Read the list of regulations carefully as you consider this option.

Top Free Attractions in the Park

Cave tours are the most popular attraction, but you can bypass the paid tours and go with a self-guided approach. One drawback of this strategy is you will not be able to see certain sections of the cave, which are only open to tour groups. For that reason, at least take a look at the available tours and determine if any of them match your budget and interests.

Another highly popular free event is the nightly Bat Flight Program from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. About 400 thousand Brazilian bats exit the cave each night around sunset in search of insects.

A ranger explains the process in detail, and visitors sit in an amphitheater to watch the spectacle. Because camera flashes can be harmful to the bats, photography is not permitted. But photos of the flights are available for a nominal fee.

Parking and Transportation

There is no charge to park, and transportation is limited to vehicular traffic. Parts of the Big Room (the most famous and popular part of the cave) are accessible to wheelchairs, but note that wheelchairs are not available in the park.

Other Attractions with which to Combine a Visit

Visitors here can travel 34 miles south and enjoy another seldom-visited attraction, Guadalupe Mountains National Park. About three hours (165 miles) northwest of Carlsbad Caverns, you can visit White Sands National Monument.

For more information, visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park's official Web site.

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