Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour
Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour
Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
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Travelers' Choice
2023
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Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance Tour
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
1,807 reviews
Excellent
1,568
Very good
181
Average
42
Poor
11
Terrible
5
MEG
Harrison, NY102 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
A must visit for people who enjoy National Parks. Very different, accessible to all by foot or elevator. I recommend walking down. It is an amazing place-it reminded me of something Dr. Suess would invent.
Written November 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gerald G
Spring, United States233 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
If you want the ranger guided tour, make a reservation at least 6 months in advance. The caverns also offer self-guided tours. Wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for some steep ups and downs on the path. The sights make the tour worth it.
Written November 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zoe C
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom39 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Truly amazing and enormous caverns - not to be missed. The natural entrance path down into the caverns is quite steep and dark but well worth it - you'd miss a lot using the elevator. Arrive the evening before to see the bats fly out at sunset.
Written November 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meg S
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
Awesome experience! The caves are amazing. Definitely do the natural entrance if you can. It was mostly downhill and was not that strenuous. Come back at night to see the bats leave the cave.
Written October 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom
Boston, MA14 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Unbelievable,words can not do it justice, a must for every American.This must be what going to the pyramids must be like,but you don't need a passport.This is in our great country, go enjoy,Best $$$ you will ever spend.Buy+donate anything you can @ visitors center,goes to do great things with parks, Thanks again .p.s. they also have elevator to cavern.
Tom
Tom
Written September 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa J
Plant City, FL710 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
This is an amazing tour of the cave, and I think the best way to see it. If you go through the natural entrance its mostly down hill. There are a lot of switchbacks along the way and it is wet in some places so be careful how you step. It is 2.5 miles of trail inside the cave and we spent 3 hours walking through. At the end you take the elevator back up to the welcome center.
Written September 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WayfairingMan
Buffalo, NY47 contributions
Sep 2022
After spending time at the International UFO Museum and Gift Shop in Roswell NM, my family headed to our hotel in Artesia NM for the night. (As you go down US-285 between Roswell and Carlsbad, you will see a large number of active oil field pumps. New Mexico is the 2nd largest crude oil producing state). I had wanted to book a hotel in Carlsbad NM so my family could get an early start for Carlsbad Cavern but found out how quickly the hotels in Carlsbad fill up and how much higher their room rates were compared to the room rates in Artesia. It meant an extra 36 miles of drive time to Carlsbad and then another 20 miles to Carlsbad Cavern, but it was worth it staying in Artesia. Before you head out to Carlsbad Cavern, I would recommend that you fill up with gas and bring water with you, especially if you are headed to El Paso after visiting the cavern. There is a sign, shortly after turning onto US-62W/US-180W after leaving the Park, stating that there are no services for the next 130 miles. Might be good to check your air conditioning, tires and oil level too as you will be going through the Chihuahuan Desert to El Paso.
While Carlsbad Cavern is one of the most visited cave systems in the United States, it is just the 14th longest cave system in the United States. (Nearby Lechuguilla Cave is the 4th longest cave but is only open to scientific researchers). We did not need to make a reservation last year, but in 2023 and going forward, you will need to go to recreation.gov to book a timed entry ticket for your whole party. Do this as
early as possible. Once you arrive at the Park HQ, purchase your admittance tickets (if you don't already have a park pass). You will then need to show your timed entry ticket and admission ticket/pass to be admitted into the cavern. You may also need to show your ID. Be aware that the last entry into the cavern is 2:30 pm and the last elevator out of the cavern is 4:45 pm. Check the park website for any updates to these times.
The facilities at Carlsbad Cavern HQ are really nice. There are the usual restrooms and drinking fountains, but they also have a gift shop, a restaurant & snack area open 8am-4pm, educational exhibits (e,g, a raised relief map of the cave system) and kennels. "The park offers elevator service into and out of the cavern [travelling 754 feet each way], where you can access the [one mile] Big Room Trail. The Big Room Trail is the only wheelchair accessible route in the cavern". However, note that the park does not provide wheelchairs. Further, near the ground floor/cavern level elevators are underground restrooms and a underground lunchroom/snack bar open Friday to Sunday. Once you exit the elevator and enter the Cavern, you will notice the 56°F (13°C) temperature which is refreshing on a hot day, but chilly for some. Dress accordingly, Be aware that only plain water is allowed in the cavern. No other eating or drinking is allowed except in the underground lunchroom snack bar area. The nps.gov website has other FAQs that you should be aware of.
My family chose to walk the 1.25 mile Natural Entrance Trail, "equivalent to [descending] about 79 stories", down to the Big Room/ground elevator level, and later, took the elevator back up to the surface. As you start to descend the trail, you will see ahead of you the huge wide mouth of the cave opening followed by a big outside amphitheater for viewing the incoming/outgoing bats pre-dawn and in the evening. Roughly 200,000-500,000 bats depending on the time of year. Note that a special use permit is required (in advance) to allow you to film or photograph these bat flights due to the potential impact on the bats as noted on the park website. However, you can take pictures in the cavern and use your flash. Tripods or monopods are allowed on the Big Room and Natural Entrance trails, but are not allowed on ranger-guided tours. I found that using flash photography in the cavern resulted in a distorted picture/colors and found that my better pictures were achieved using low light settings on my camera or time exposures. There were some backlit areas in the cavern where my flash pictures turned out ok. Because the cavern is so big and dim, your flash bulb won't be enough to take good shots of the stalactites. Pictures from low pixel cameras will turn out grainy.
Ok, you've descended past the amphitheater and are near the mouth of the cave. Look up. Hundreds if not thousands of seasonal cave swallows have nests around the mouth/entrance of the cave and chirp, fly and dive into and around the mouth of the cave. Its amazing how active they are. Continue descending the trail until you are in near darkness. We took a moment to allow our eyes to get adjusted to the darkness before proceeding. We were able to get to the bottom of the trail without using any flashlights. However, we did see other visitors using flashlights to light their way down the path. Unfortunately, some of the visitors shined their flashlights all over the place which was distracting and took away the ambience for others. As a side note, children should avoid running down the trail as they most likely will get hurt or impact others.
The Natural Entrance Trail has a number of descending switchbacks all the way to the bottom. You'll be passing stalagmites and stalactites on the way down. We wore sneakers which worked out for us in terms of traction. I'm a big fan of Jules Verne's "A Journey to the Centre of the Earth" so walking the Natural Entrance Trail and the Big Room Trail let me experience, in part, what a Professor Lidenbrock might have felt. Tres cool.
Once at the bottom of the trail, we hit the underground restrooms, filled our water bottles and then used the park map to navigate the Big Room Trail. Once past the lunch room area, the cavern views become even more spectacular. Of all the many sights at the bottom, I'll only mention the "Bottomless Pit" which does have a bottom around 140 feet straight down from the Big Room Trail. The Pit opens up into a giant cavern of its own (which you won't be able to see). Because people throw trash into the Pit, NPS has to periodically send people down to clean up their trash. Sad to say.
My family has visited a number of cave systems throughout the United States and Carlsbad Cavern is at the top of our list. The unique, self-guided Natural Entrance Trail and the cavern layout coupled with all of the amenities and the Bat Flight Program make it hard to beat. Down the road, we'll be back for a third time.
While Carlsbad Cavern is one of the most visited cave systems in the United States, it is just the 14th longest cave system in the United States. (Nearby Lechuguilla Cave is the 4th longest cave but is only open to scientific researchers). We did not need to make a reservation last year, but in 2023 and going forward, you will need to go to recreation.gov to book a timed entry ticket for your whole party. Do this as
early as possible. Once you arrive at the Park HQ, purchase your admittance tickets (if you don't already have a park pass). You will then need to show your timed entry ticket and admission ticket/pass to be admitted into the cavern. You may also need to show your ID. Be aware that the last entry into the cavern is 2:30 pm and the last elevator out of the cavern is 4:45 pm. Check the park website for any updates to these times.
The facilities at Carlsbad Cavern HQ are really nice. There are the usual restrooms and drinking fountains, but they also have a gift shop, a restaurant & snack area open 8am-4pm, educational exhibits (e,g, a raised relief map of the cave system) and kennels. "The park offers elevator service into and out of the cavern [travelling 754 feet each way], where you can access the [one mile] Big Room Trail. The Big Room Trail is the only wheelchair accessible route in the cavern". However, note that the park does not provide wheelchairs. Further, near the ground floor/cavern level elevators are underground restrooms and a underground lunchroom/snack bar open Friday to Sunday. Once you exit the elevator and enter the Cavern, you will notice the 56°F (13°C) temperature which is refreshing on a hot day, but chilly for some. Dress accordingly, Be aware that only plain water is allowed in the cavern. No other eating or drinking is allowed except in the underground lunchroom snack bar area. The nps.gov website has other FAQs that you should be aware of.
My family chose to walk the 1.25 mile Natural Entrance Trail, "equivalent to [descending] about 79 stories", down to the Big Room/ground elevator level, and later, took the elevator back up to the surface. As you start to descend the trail, you will see ahead of you the huge wide mouth of the cave opening followed by a big outside amphitheater for viewing the incoming/outgoing bats pre-dawn and in the evening. Roughly 200,000-500,000 bats depending on the time of year. Note that a special use permit is required (in advance) to allow you to film or photograph these bat flights due to the potential impact on the bats as noted on the park website. However, you can take pictures in the cavern and use your flash. Tripods or monopods are allowed on the Big Room and Natural Entrance trails, but are not allowed on ranger-guided tours. I found that using flash photography in the cavern resulted in a distorted picture/colors and found that my better pictures were achieved using low light settings on my camera or time exposures. There were some backlit areas in the cavern where my flash pictures turned out ok. Because the cavern is so big and dim, your flash bulb won't be enough to take good shots of the stalactites. Pictures from low pixel cameras will turn out grainy.
Ok, you've descended past the amphitheater and are near the mouth of the cave. Look up. Hundreds if not thousands of seasonal cave swallows have nests around the mouth/entrance of the cave and chirp, fly and dive into and around the mouth of the cave. Its amazing how active they are. Continue descending the trail until you are in near darkness. We took a moment to allow our eyes to get adjusted to the darkness before proceeding. We were able to get to the bottom of the trail without using any flashlights. However, we did see other visitors using flashlights to light their way down the path. Unfortunately, some of the visitors shined their flashlights all over the place which was distracting and took away the ambience for others. As a side note, children should avoid running down the trail as they most likely will get hurt or impact others.
The Natural Entrance Trail has a number of descending switchbacks all the way to the bottom. You'll be passing stalagmites and stalactites on the way down. We wore sneakers which worked out for us in terms of traction. I'm a big fan of Jules Verne's "A Journey to the Centre of the Earth" so walking the Natural Entrance Trail and the Big Room Trail let me experience, in part, what a Professor Lidenbrock might have felt. Tres cool.
Once at the bottom of the trail, we hit the underground restrooms, filled our water bottles and then used the park map to navigate the Big Room Trail. Once past the lunch room area, the cavern views become even more spectacular. Of all the many sights at the bottom, I'll only mention the "Bottomless Pit" which does have a bottom around 140 feet straight down from the Big Room Trail. The Pit opens up into a giant cavern of its own (which you won't be able to see). Because people throw trash into the Pit, NPS has to periodically send people down to clean up their trash. Sad to say.
My family has visited a number of cave systems throughout the United States and Carlsbad Cavern is at the top of our list. The unique, self-guided Natural Entrance Trail and the cavern layout coupled with all of the amenities and the Bat Flight Program make it hard to beat. Down the road, we'll be back for a third time.
Written August 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChickenParm41
USA760 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
This place is simply amazing!
Walkways and paths were easy enough to traverse and were well lit, even though I brought my own flashlight with me.
Took our time the entire way down and rode the elevator back up.
Simply Amazing!
Walkways and paths were easy enough to traverse and were well lit, even though I brought my own flashlight with me.
Took our time the entire way down and rode the elevator back up.
Simply Amazing!
Written July 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer S
36 contributions
Jun 2023
This should be on everyone's bucket list! You can't even begin to imagine the scale and shapes and history to be seen in this cavern. Photos can't do it justice. Every step provides a new wonder to look at. Carlsbad Caverns is simply magnificent and is a must-do.
Written July 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carlotaTravel4fun
california612 contributions
Jun 2023
We were not able to get tickets to the King's Palace Tour and wasn't sure if the self-guided tour was worth our time, but decided to go. I'm so glad we did. The cave was amazing and I was surprised at how big it was. The distance within the Self-guided tour is 2.5 miles and I believe is wheelchair accessible. We got there early in the morning when they first open and there was already quite a line forming. They had several agents serving people at the counter, so the line moved along, and a woman came and started assisting people who had their time-entrance pass, NP pass, and reservation papers, providing them with the pass to enter the cave. Be sure to go online to reserve your time. There is a $1 fee for this. When you get there you will need to pay the park entrance fee or use your NP pass. You may reserve your time at the recreation.gov website a month before the date you desire, but be sure to set up an account on that site before you the time you are able to reserve. The path through the cave was paved and an easy walk. We took the elevator down and up, so I can't comment on the walk down into the cave. This was a wonderful experience and, if you can't secure tickets to the King's Palace, don't dismay, there is plenty to see on the Self-guided tour.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ironokole
Honolulu, Hawaii17 contributions
Can you use a electric wheelchair?
Jill M
Albuquerque, NM122 contributions
Yes. Having spent time in a wheelchair, I pay attention to that wherever I go. The few places that are too steep or slick are clearly marked as not wheelchair accessible with an alternative option.
Zuolin C
Houston, Texas, USA5 contributions
If I take the elevator down to the Big Room (vs taking the Natural Entrance Trail), is there anything that I would miss by having taken the elevator? I have 4 kids (ages 1 in a carrier, 3, 5 and 7) but they are well traveled and have hiked 4+ miles through other caves like Mammoth Caves. I would consider taking the kids down the Natural Entrance Trail but if it's just cave walls (vs formations etc) we may just skip and take the elevator down. Not really concerned about darkness and the kids scared of the cave environment.
stork90
Mount Juliet, TN1,358 contributions
The Natural Entrance was really cool to walk down and through. There are a good number of formations that are well lit, and you think are really neat, but then you get into the main cavern and appreciate just how awesome it is! I'd recommend walking down the trail, and then taking the elevator back out - but be prepared for long lines.
Peri H
Chicago, IL31 contributions
Can we explore inside the caverns during the government shut down?
KennethCalif
Huntington Beach, CA120 contributions
Obviously not because you can’t access to the inside when the gate is closed!
Olia551806
San Francisco, CA2 contributions
Hi, Stupid question where to book a tour, can not find it anywhere?Thank you
Jerome M
Gary, IN1,601 contributions
If you have a annual senior national park pass, there is no cost to go into the caverns, other wise buy ticket at the gate.
sandraacomer
Charlotte, NC1 contribution
Does anyone know what time the bat program is on Nov 3rd?
sherylsr
Blanco, TX381 contributions
The bats will be long gone by then. Try next summer?
Wheelchair accessible???
anacotton27
Evansville, IN298 contributions
I did not see any, that even said no strollers.
But you can actually visit their website call them. But to be honest I did not see any.
Karen P
Columbus4 contributions
The website states hiking into the caverns only until 3:30 yet last admission ticket is sold st 4:45. So which is it?
anacotton27
Evansville, IN298 contributions
Yes it is confusing... I believe they want all visitors to start hiking before 4pm. I know the hike is about 1 hour going and another 1 hiking up. When I went I make sure to call first and their recommendation was to be there early since it was a memorial day weekend. It was actually good going early since lines to buy tickets and go in caverns after noon are long. You also see a lot of turist buses coming in right after lunch time. So it does get busy.
If you are planing to hike up it might take longer. Hope this helps if you do have any questions that I was not able to help you with call the caverns they are super nice and answer all your questions.
Sapphire S
54 contributions
If we do a ranger tour of lower caverns, do we also get to see the big room and natural entrance? Or does each require separate tickets?
ki0ki
Williamsburg, VA6,298 contributions
extra for the ranger led tour
sherylsr
Blanco, TX381 contributions
If we take the Natural Entrance tour, will that take us to the snack area? I remember seeing that as a teen in the ‘70s. What do they serve now?
WanderingSpriti
Chicago, IL250 contributions
We did not eat there but there is a snack area off the big room end / entrance. We ate upstairs which has better choice.
Travel_Addict_Cyprus
Michigan1,111 contributions
Hi, some reviews talk about seeing bats at the Natural Entrance flying out for the evening. We were visiting in late December. How can I make sure that we get to see bats flying out? What time does that take place in December?
thanks!
WanderingSpriti
Chicago, IL250 contributions
No bats in December. I was there in December. Bat season is May - October. The NP website offers good information on all this. Do check it out.
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