favorite itinerary: visiting carlsbad caverns national park

kid in front of cave hiking at carlsbad caverns national park — kiddo looking down into the natural entrance of carlsbad cavern

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it may sound odd, but carlsbad caverns was a major stretch for me. i am claustrophobic (yes, i’m living in a van with claustrophobia, lol), and being in the dark makes it so much worse. it makes me feel like i can’t breathe. for two days i was panicking about going into this darn cave.

as we descended into the natural entrance i was on the verge of a panic attack. and honestly, that feeling never really went away for the couple of hours we were down there. this cave is big. big, big. that helped minimize the claustrophobia, but the feeling of being buried alive never left. you can’t tell from these photos, but it’s pretty dark in there.

anyway, i survived to tell the tale and i’m sharing all the details on what we did with you! read on for my recommendations for carlsbad caverns national park, including our one day itinerary for carlsbad caverns.

land of the mescalero apache

the land presently known as carlsbad caverns national park is the indigenous homeland of the mescalero apache.

“in the Apache way of life, there is a belief that a dark side of life is present, as well as a light side. In the dark side of life there is misery, and nothing progresses for the Apache. here in the light of life there is happiness; a world God created of peace and harmony. In this world of peace and harmony, everything progresses for our people…

hundreds of years ago, long before white men came to this land, these mountains, plains and deserts belonged to the Mescalero Apaches… the Mescalero were essentially nomadic hunters and warriors, dwelling at one place for a temporary time in brush shelter known as a “Wicki up”; short rounded dwellings made of twigs or teepees made of elk hides and buffalo hides. the Mescalero roamed freely throughout the southwest including texas, arizona, chihuahua, méxico and sonora, méxico… today, three sub-tribes, Mescalero, Lipan and Chiricahua, make up the Mescalero Apache Tribe.”

inside cave with stalactites and stalagmites at carlsbad caverns national park — in the big room of the cave in carlsbad caverns national park

what to bring to carlsbad caverns

shoes with good tread: the cave is moist and can be very slick, especially if you take the steep hike down into the carlsbad cavern natural entrance. whether boots or sandals, just make sure your shoes have good tread. here are the boots kiddo wore into the cave and the boots i wore into the cave. we had no issues but could definitely tell when we approached slippery areas.

headlamp: you’ll want to bring your own light into the cave, especially if you’re doing the natural entrance hike. eventually your eyes will adjust and the big room is better lit than other areas, but there were definitely spots where we needed light to find our way. we used these headlamps. we also have these little flashlights which are great for kiddos who may not fit the headlamps.

layers: the cave stays in the mid-50s year round, so you’ll want to bring an extra layer. nothing too heavy, but something to keep the chill away. kiddo wore a sweatshirt like this one. i wore my girlfriend fleece with an extra layer underneath and got a little warm.

a note about camping in carlsbad caverns national park

there is no lodging or campground in carlsbad caverns national park. overnight parking is not allowed. primitive camping is allowed in the backcountry only, and requires a free permit which is issued at the park's visitor center when you arrive (not reservable in advance).

we camped at a blm (bureau of land management) spot about 25 minutes from the park. there are several blm sites all in the same area, west of white’s city. it’s convenient to both carlsbad caverns and guadalupe mountains national park, as well as carlsbad, new mexico.

carlsbad caverns itinerary

it’s definitely possible to do carlsbad caverns in a day or even a half day. your first task will be to make a required reservation to enter the cave. from there, a major choice you’ll need to make is whether you want to do the steep, one mile hike down into the cave via the carlsbad caverns natural entrance hike. you can hike into the cave or take a short elevator ride directly to the big room. once you’re in the cave, you can do the full big room hike (1.25 mile) or take a shortcut hike (0.6 mile). there are occasional benches and rest areas inside the cave, and you’re welcome to spend as long as you like simply observing all the amazing formations.

you will also have the option to hike back out or take the elevator out. we chose to hike in, but because of the steep climb, chose to take the elevator back out. in total, we spend about 1.5-2 hours in the cave.

another key factor is what season you’re visiting. the carlsbad caverns bats are only in the park april-october. since we visited in winter, we missed the bats. the trip was still well worth it, but if you’re visiting any other season, you’ll likely want to plan around seeing the bats exit the cave at sunset.

and do be sure to check out some of the other areas outside the cave! the visitor center has great exhibits, and there are also other hikes and a scenic drive in the park. there’s lots to see beyond the cave! some recommendations for what to see in carlsbad caverns national park below!

cave formations inside cave at carlsbad caverns national park — in the big room of the cave in carlsbad caverns national park

one day in carlsbad caverns national park

visitor center: you’ll need to check in at the visitor center before you explore the cave. either show them your reservation or purchase tickets upon entering. we ended up spending more time in the visitor center than we typically do. there are some great interactive exhibits, some fun photo ops, and even a special area for junior rangers!

hike the natural entrance to the cave: you can certainly take the elevator into the cave and have an amazing experience. but for me, despite being terrified, hiking the natural entrance was my favorite part. there’s nothing quite like seeing that huge opening and then being swallowed up by the darkness at the entrance disappears behind you. the one mile trail is quite steep and can be slick in areas. there are interpretive signs and rest areas along the way.

hike the big room inside the cave: the big room is the best way to see all of the amazing formations inside the cave. the hike is about 1.25 mile and takes you through a number of fascinating formations, including the bottomless pit! there is a shortcut trail, as well.

hike the chihuahuan desert nature trail: you know i love a good interpretive trail about flora in the area! this one mile loop trail from the visitor center winds through the chihuahuan desert highlights. it’s also an opportunity to spot some of the park’s wildlife!

drive the scenic walnut canyon desert road: this 9.5 mile (one-way) dirt road drive takes you through the desert of of carlsbad canyon national park. it’s a great way to explore the less visited parts of the park and see the unique ecosystems above the caves. there are hikes along the way, too!

if you have more time in carlsbad caverns national park

.here’s a list of places we wish we could have visited if we had more time in the park.

i hope this guide to carlsbad caverns national park inspires you to try something new, take a risk, do something you’re afraid of, and go out wild. no matter the season, there are amazing things to see at this unique national park!