I have wanted to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park for 10 years? 20 years? As long as I can remember! It was an absolute treat and shot up to my top 3 National Parks to visit. The caverns themselves are the biggest draw, but did you know there are miles of hiking trails in the mountains on top of the caverns? So whether you have a few minutes or a few days, you’ll surely find something to do while you’re here!
I actually explored Carlsbad Caverns over two days. On the evening after visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park, we headed to Carlsbad to see the bat flight program. For those unfamiliar, its where hundreds to thousands of Mexican Free-tailed Bats leave their home in the cavern in search of tasty bugs to eat. This was the coolest thing to see – like a bat tornado! And the most unexpected thing? The smell of guano that emanated from the bats and the cave as they swirled into the night sky. Even after dark, when you could no longer see the bats, it was a neat feeling knowing they were still there swirling around.
The second day, we made our way back to the park and to the visitor center. Here, we watched a video about the discovery of the cave system that led to it being turned into a national park. It was really informative and the parks system did a great job with the video. I would recommend watching it when you’re there! Side note – did you know they tried to make a road through the tunnel around the middle of the century? Me either!
After that, we made our way down the natural entrance into the caverns. The Big Room is actually wheelchair accessible, so you can take an elevator down directly from the visitor center. Otherwise, you need to walk down some pretty steep (but paved) switchbacks.
Unfortunately for us, it was raining pretty steadily. By the time we made it into the safety of the cave, we were pretty soaked. I hadn’t planned on rain, so my cotton t-shirt didn’t dry until after we finished exploring the caves. Not too big of an issue, but it did make for a very humid trip!
The cave itself was enormous, such that it was hard to tell just how big it truly was. There were tons of cool rock formations and the dim lighting gave it great ambience. I tried booking a ranger guided tour, but unfortunately they were booked out. Remember – plan ahead well in advance!
You can hike back out the natural entrance, but we chose to take the elevator back up to the book store. There, I bought my very first national park plushie! Usually, I stick to stickers, postcards, pins, and magnets but I couldn’t resist. He’s now my travel buddy!
We got a bite to eat at their food court before hitting the road again. We weren’t done, though. Carlsbad Caverns has several scenic pull-offs on its way to the caves and we hit them all. The coolest is a rocky overhang with indications that it had historically been used by people as a shelter. It was here that I also saw a new species, the Texas Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus interpres. I snapped a picture, but the only thing you can really see is an eye.
So ends another visit to a national park! The staff was so friendly and I absolutely loved seeing the bats fly. I would recommend it to everyone! Next August or September, when the baby bats (pups) fly with their moms, I think I’ll try to make a visit there again.
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