1 Day in Carlsbad Caverns: Itinerary and Ultimate Guide

We recently visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico and were completely blown away by its otherworldly underground! Although this park has lots to explore, we found it doable to see all the main attractions in a day. In this guide, we’re breaking down exactly how we spent one day in the park—with time stamps, tips, and even how we managed to snag a rare ranger-led tour. After the itinerary, you’ll find even more info, from tips on where to stay to the best nearby restaurants!

ℹ️ About Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located beneath New Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert, is home to over 119 limestone caves formed over 250 million years ago. It is unique in that it was formed by sulfuric acid rather than the more common carbonic acid due to hydrogen sulfide-rich water reacting with oxygen. Its main attraction is the Big Room, the largest accessible cave chamber in North America! You can descend into the caves by elevator or by hiking down the Natural Entrance.

From May to October, the park also sees dramatic nightly bat flights, as hundreds of thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats emerge at sunset. This is completely free to witness with the standard entry fee and is the park’s most popular season.

📝 1-Day Carlsbad Caverns Itinerary

With just one day in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, you can still see the park’s biggest highlights, including Big Room, the Natural Entrance Trail, and, if you’re lucky, a ranger-led tour of King’s Palace. This itinerary is exactly how we spent our full day in the park before heading on to White Sands National Park!

7:30 AM—Arrive at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

We recommend starting your day bright and early at 7:30 AM. Not only will you avoid the crowds, but you might even be able to score a spot on a ranger-led tour by getting in line at the visitor center early. Once you’re in the park, start with a classic park entrance sign photo (we never skip it!), then continue up the scenic access road toward the visitor center.

On the road in, you’ll see tons of informational roadside placards with insights into the desert ecosystem and the ancient geologic forces that shaped the caverns. If you aren’t too tired, hop out and read a few—it’s a great primer for what you’re about to explore.

8:15 AM—Get in Line for a Ranger-Guided Tour

Aim to arrive about 45 minutes before the visitor center opens at 9:00 AM to try and snag one of the limited spots (usually 24) on a ranger-guided tour—currently, the King’s Palace Tour is the only one running semi-regularly due to staffing shortages. If you don’t snag a spot and are still interested in a tour, there’s a $5 self-guided audio tour that can be purchased at the WNPA store in the park and corresponds with numbers throughout the caverns.

9:00 AM—Pay Entry Fees & Book Your Tour

Once the visitor center opens at 9:00 AM, head to the counter to pay your $15 park entrance fee (or show your America the Beautiful Pass) and purchase your ranger tour ticket. You’ll be given a timed-entry slot for self-guided cave exploration, but you can still go in multiple times in a day. We had a 9:30 AM ticket, the first available to enter the cave, and were able to reenter that afternoon as well.

9:15 AM—Explore the Visitor Center

Our tour started at 10:30 AM, with a meet-up time of 10:15 AM, so we took about 30–45 minutes to wander through the exhibits in the visitor center. We recommend watching the short film in particular—it does a great job covering the park’s history, geology, and cave conservation. There’s also a bookstore, restrooms, and a small cafeteria if you need a quick snack before heading down into the caves.

10:00 AM—Take the Elevator Down to the Caverns

Once the clock strikes 10:00, hop in the elevator and descend 750 feet into the cave system—it’s wild how fast you travel into a totally different world! We could physically feel the air getting cooler the further we descended. That being said, you’ll want to bring a jacket for the caves, even in summer, as they stay at a cool 56°F year-round. Once you’re down in the caves, use this time to explore a bit before the tour begins.

10:30 AM—Ranger Guided Tour of King’s Palace

Our ranger led us into a section of the caverns now only accessible on guided tours—King’s Palace. More chambers were once open to the public but have since been closed off after years of damage from graffiti and visitors breaking off stalagmites and stalactites as souvenirs.

Hands down, this tour ended up being our favorite part of the entire visit! We learned so much more about the formation of the caves, their fragile ecosystems, and the challenges of preserving these caves than if we had just explored on our own.

Noon—Break for Lunch

Once the tour is over, or you’re done exploring on your own, take the elevator back up and enjoy lunch outside the visitor center. There are several shaded picnic tables with wide desert views, which we always appreciate in a national park. The on-site cafeteria in the visitor center is also available if you didn’t bring food.

1:00 PM—Hike the Natural Entrance Trail

After lunch, we’re heading back inside the caves, but this time hiking down into them via the 1.5-mile Natural Entrance Trail—AKA the “Road to Hell.” It’s a steep but spectacular descent past jagged formations, flying swallows, and bat nesting areas, taking close to 1 hour to reach the bottom. You can always take the elevators down and/or up if you prefer, but this dramatic entrance is stunning!

2:30 PM—Make Your Way to The Big Room

Once inside the caves, you’ll transition right into the 1.25-mile Big Room Loop, a massive cavern filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and rock curtains. If you are also up for the hike back up, the entire trip will take around 3 hours, including time spent exploring the caves themselves. We opted to hike down and take the elevator back up.

4:30 PM—Exit the Caverns

Plan to exit the caves by 4:30 PM as elevators stop running at 4:45 PM, and you don’t want to miss your ride back up. This gives you time to freshen up before heading into Carlsbad for dinner, driving over to your campsite, or making your way to your next destination!

🦇 3 More Things to Do at Carlsbad Caverns

Here are three more things to do in the park that we didn’t include in the above 1-Day Carlsbad Caverns Itinerary.

1. Watch the Bats from the Amphitheatre

From late May through October, thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats emerge from the Natural Entrance just before sunset in a dramatic flight. It’s free and can be seen from the Bat Flight Amphitheater, strategically positioned right in front of the cave. We visited in spring before the bats arrived, but we’d love to come back for this! More info here.

2. Go on a Scenic Drive

The drive from Carlsbad Caverns Highway to the visitor center is scenic in and of itself. We also found this scenic drive down the Carlsbad Caverns Desert Loop Road. A slow, scenic drive with occasional stops is a great way to get some more sightseeing in after or before a day of walking.

3. Go Hiking Above Ground

Carlsbad isn’t just caves—explore trails like the 3-hour Old Guano Trail for desert views, wildflowers, and potential wildlife sightings. This trail is best hiked from December to May to avoid the heat. More hiking trail options on AllTrails.

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🐕 Dog Kennel at Carlsbad Caverns

There’s a pet kennel at the visitor center, operated by a concessionaire (not the NPS). A New Mexico state law prohibits leaving pets unattended in vehicles where they could be at risk from heat or weather. We were able to keep Ollie in our van since we could control the temperature remotely, but if that’s not an option for you, the kennel is $15/day and is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit Carlsbad Caverns

The best time to visit Carlsbad Caverns is May through October, when thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats stream from the cave at sunset—a surreal sight that draws the biggest crowds. We most recently visited midweek in early April, and although we missed the bats, we scored cool temps and fewer crowds. Above ground, weather can be intense during the summer months, but underground it’s always a steady 56°F—so a visit to the caves almost any time of year is doable.

⏰ How Many Days in Carlsbad Caverns?

While the main highlights can be seen in a single day, you could easily spend more time if you’re interested in above-ground hikes or the surrounding national parks. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can do within varying trip lengths:

• 1 Day: Follow our above 1-Day Carlsbad Caverns Itinerary by touring the visitor center, hopping on a ranger-led tour, hiking the Natural Entrance trail in the afternoon, seeing Big Room, and watching the bats fly from the caves just before sunset if visiting from May to October. This is the most common trip length for visitors.
• 2 Days: Hike some of the aboveground desert trails, visit a neighboring national park, or enjoy a slower itinerary with time to revisit favorite areas.
• 3+ Days: Pair your trip to Carlsbad Caverns with a visit to 1-2 nearby parks like White Sands National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, or a bit further drive down to Big Bend National Park.

🚗 How to Get to Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in Carlsbad, New Mexico. We highly recommend using a rental company if you don’t have access to a car, van, or motorbike. Here’s a breakdown of how to get to the park:

• Car — Carlsbad Caverns is located about 20 miles south of Carlsbad, New Mexico, easily accessible via U.S. Route 62/180.

• Public Transport — There is no direct public transportation to the park, but Greyhound buses stop in Carlsbad, and you can rent a car from there.

• Plane — The nearest airport is Cavern City Air Terminal in Carlsbad (COD), which has limited commercial flights. The closest international airport is in El Paso, TX, just over 2 hours away by car. From there, you can rent a car to the park.

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🏨 Where to Stay in Carlsbad Caverns

While there are no campgrounds inside the park boundaries, the surrounding area offers plenty of options. Although we love staying at free camping spots, we’re sharing both paid campgrounds and free campgrounds near Carlsbad Caverns. Here’s a quick rundown of where to stay near Carlsbad Caverns, whether you’re rolling in with an RV, looking to pitch your tent, or craving a comfy bed.

Paid Campgrounds

• Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Just a 28-minute drive away is Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which offers 2 regular campgrounds for RVs and tent campers, 1 horse corral, and various backcountry camping spots.
• White’s City RV Park – Closest full-service RV park to the entrance, just five minutes from the caverns.
• Carlsbad KOA Holiday – A well-equipped, family-friendly campground about 40 minutes north, with amenities like a pool and cabins.
• Brantley Lake State Park – Approximately 50 minutes north, this scenic spot provides campsites with water and electric hookups, along with serene lake views.

Free Campgrounds and BLM Land

• Crystal Snake Pull Off BLM — This free land is located next to a crystal quarry 23 minutes away from the park.
• El Capitan View Point — This parking lot has incredible views of El Capitan and allows you to park your RV there overnight. It is right along the side of the highway, so there would probably be road noise.
• Pine Spring Safety Rest Stop — This rest stop has 18 car parking spots and 10 18-wheeler or RV spots. The bathrooms were clean, and there were views of the Guadalupe Mountains. We stayed here and thought it was a great spot. This spot is also right along the highway, so there was road noise, but it didn’t bother us.
• Chosa Campground — We stayed at this free, first-come, first-serve lot-style campground and loved it! There were several other campers parked at the same time as us, and the campground even had trash disposal. This lot was pretty large and could probably fit 40-50 rigs, depending on the size. You could stay in a tent, but the winds are known to pick up here, so we recommend staying in a car, RV, or van if possible.

Hotels

• Budget — Karbani Inn is an affordable motel located a 40-minute drive away from the park, in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
• Moderate — Sleep Inn & Suites Carlsbad Caverns Area is a hotel with a small indoor pool and a bit more comfort than Karbani Inn, also located in Carlsbad.
• Luxury — Hyatt House Carlsbad is a highly-rated hotel with a pool, gym, and work areas located in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

🍔 Best Restaurants Near Carlsbad Caverns

To keep costs down, we usually cook our own meals in our campervan. But if you’re craving dinner in town, we’ve found these three great spots in Carlsbad, New Mexico:

• Guadalupe Mountain Brewing Co — Brewery and pizzeria we visited in downtown Carlsbad, where you can sip on a flight of beer, dig into some artisan pizza, and relax on their patio. We enjoyed a classic pepperoni pizza and a roasted garlic pizza with mushrooms, spinach, and fresh mozzarella. They also had live music on Saturday night when we visited.
• The Trinity Hotel Restaurant — Sit-down restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with American breakfast classics and some Italian-inspired dishes for lunch and dinner.
• The Carrot Top — New food-truck health food restaurant serving up breakfast bowls, protein smoothies, salads, paninis, and wraps.
• El Charro — No frills Mexican diner serving up tacos, enchiladas, and more Mexican dishes to eat in or to go.

💰 How Much Does a Trip to Carlsbad Caverns Cost?

Carlsbad Caverns is surprisingly affordable, with just a $1 reservation fee for timed cave entry after the typical $15 entrance fee for adults. Even if you visit from May to October during bat season, the nightly spectacle is 100% free to view. Add plenty of nearby public BLM land offering free camping, and it’s quite easy to keep costs down. With all this money saved, consider picking up a postcard and mailing it from within the Ranger Station!

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🪧 Learn More: How to Help Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad Caverns has suffered damage from visitors taking pieces of the cave, leading to some areas being closed off. Help protect the park by leaving everything untouched. To support preservation efforts, shop at the Visitor Center bookstore—proceeds go to the National Park Service, unlike the privately run gift shop. You can also donate to the National Parks Conservation Association to help protect parks like Carlsbad for the future.

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