Carlsbad Caverns National Park - New Mexico

Address:3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Tel: (505) 785-2232

In the heart of the Guadalupe Mountains lies Carlsbad Caverns - a truly remarkable underground network of caves and fascinating rock formations that began to take shape about 500,000 years ago. Stalactites jut out from the ceilings of the caves, accompanied by stalagmites and helictites, all created by water dripping slowly on the cave floor. Visitors can wander the wonders of the caves alone or join a guided tour to learn more about the caves' long history and geology. The Lechuguilla Cave, which is the nation's deepest limestone cave, is also found in the park.
An enormously popular activity at the park is the "Bat Flight Program" - not for the faint of heart. Carlsbad Caverns are home to hundreds of thousands of bats and you can experience them firsthand in this special program, coordinated with the schedules of the bats, of course. If you can manage to muster up an appetite after the "show," check out Rattlesnake Springs, a crucial water source for the park, and an ideal locale for picnicking, barbequing, and bird watching.

Established to preserve Carlsbad Cavern and numerous other caves within a Permian-age fossil reef, the park contains more than 100 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave—the nation's deepest limestone cave at 1,567 feet (478m) and fourth-longest. Carlsbad Cavern, with one of the world's largest underground chambers and countless formations, is highly accessible, with a variety of tours offered year-round.